Projects to improve reporting
There are national and state or territory projects that will improve reporting in status and trends of native Australian vegetation. (See also Reports on vegetation status and trends.)
National projects
Vegetation Assessment 2008
The National Land and Water Resources Audit will release the Australian Vegetation Assessment (2008) later this year, which brings together vegetation information, data and mapping products from multiple sources. It will report on the status, type, extent, condition and use of vegetation and on the importance of vegetation in the delivery of ecosystem services.
Biodiversity Assessment 2008
The first Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment (2002) was a collaborative exercise combining a broad range of knowledge and expert opinion to report on the status of the nation's biodiversity. The National Land and Water Resources Audit plans to release a second assessment later this year to help inform: the location, status, condition and trend of biodiversity attributes; strategies to meet Australian Government reporting obligations; and improved targeting of investment in biodiversity conservation to gain greater benefits.
Rangelands Assessment 2008
Land & Water Australia recently completed an assessment of the rangelands. Rangelands 2008 — taking the pulse, which aimed to collate disparate data sets at a national and regional scale. It documents change in status for a number of environmental and socioeconomic themes between 1992 and 2005. The report is due for publication later this year and will help inform future land management requirements for the rangelands.
Status of information for reporting against indicators under the National NRM Monitoring and Evaluation Framework — Native Vegetation
The National Land and Water Resources Audit has released a booklet on the status of information for reporting on the nationally agreed native vegetation indicators. The booklet provides background on development of the indicators, a summary of existing vegetation data and information systems, and a data availability and gap analysis. It also provides a discussion and ways forward to improve our national vegetation information assets.
Note: The National Land and Water Audit ceased to exist on 30 June 2008
Contact info@nlwra.gov.au for further information.
Acacia forests and woodlands
Photo: C. Slatyer
State and territory projects
Australian Capital Territory
Biodiversity monitoring
Biodiversity monitoring is to provides a measure of the condition (defined here as distribution, abundance and status) of natural biological assets and how they are changing in response to natural processes and to pressures from use, management practices and other influences.
Contact city.management@act.gov.au for further information.
Queensland
Queensland regional ecosystem survey and mapping
Information on the extent of regional ecosystems and remnant vegetation in Queensland, monitored and made available every two years, and analysed on the basis of various management units including bioregions, subregions, catchments, local government areas and (NRM) regions.
The latest report provides information on the pre-clearing extent and changes in extent between 1997 and 2003. Work is underway on changes between 2003 and 2007.
Contact csc@epa.qld.gov.au for more information.
Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS)
Using scientifically developed and tested methods, SLATS investigates, using scientifically developed and tested methods, the overall cover and clearing of woody vegetation. Methods combine field verification and state-of-the-art remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies. The website provides information on the methodology, products and reports on the changes and extent in woody cover between 1991 and 2005. Work is underway on changes between 2005 and 2007.
Contact csc@epa.qld.gov.au for more information.
South Australia
Native vegetation cover 2004
Baseline extent mapping in the agricultural region is provided for 2004, including identification of the presence of woody vegetation.
Contact DEH@saugov.sa.gov.au for further information.
Contributions welcome
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Acacia shrublands
Photo: M. Fagg