Nature strips are public land and form an integral part of Canberra's garden city environment - as well as containing essential services such as sewerage, water pipes, telephone, power and gas, and street trees planted by the ACT Government.

The Roads and Public Place Act 1937 forbids parking on nature strips on the basis it could harm street trees, or cause a visual or physical impediment to pedestrians and road users.

Home owners require written permission from Parks and City Services - a division of the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate - to make any use of the space, other than to grow and maintain grass.

But not one person was cautioned by authorities or fined for parking on a nature strip in the ACT during the past year, TAMS told the Sunday Canberra Times.

And of Canberra's estimated 135,700 households, just 353 were issued the required permit to use or landscape the nature strip since July 2009 and none were issued permits to park cars or vehicles on nature strips.

''Applications include placement of gravel, garden beds and planting of shrubs and trees,'' a TAMS spokesman said.

''Provisions under the Roads and Public Place Act 1937 allow for notices to be issued to a resident … to remove an object [from a nature strip]. If not removed within seven days the ACT Government can remove it.''

No cars or other vehicles parked on nature strips have been removed under the provision for at least the past three years.

The Justice and Community Services Directorate, responsible for issuing parking tickets, said ACT Parking Operations attempts to take a community awareness role about parking on nature strips, as well as a compliance and enforcement role.

A spokeswoman said some parking infringement notices for parking on the nature strip were issued when complaints were received from members of the public.

''Parking Operations are currently conducting compliance activity regarding parking on nature strips in the ACT,'' she said.

■ For more information call Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.