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Issue: Knowledge of heritage - Listing processes, number and distribution of identified heritage items (places and objects)

This is an issue under the Natural and cultural heritage theme of the Data Reporting System.

Why we need to know about this issue

Knowledge of heritage includes not only knowing the location of places and objects with heritage values but also understanding those values. Knowledge of heritage is important for the identification, assessment and adequate representation of heritage values.

As we understand and study heritage places and items more, new places and items are assessed and included on protective statutory lists. The indicators listed under these issues are proxies for our knowledge of Australia’s heritage. They provide limited trend information on numbers and distribution of heritage places and items that are listed for protection.

Indicators

• NCH-01 Process of listing, area and distribution of identified natural heritage places 
  Knowledge of heritage includes not only knowing the location of places with natural heritage values but also understanding those values. Knowledge of heritage is important for the identification, assessment and adequate representation of heritage values.
  As we understand and study natural heritage places more, new places are assessed and included on protective statutory lists. This indicator provides limited trend information on numbers and distribution of natural heritage places that are listed for protection.
• NCH-02 Process of listing, area and distribution of Indigenous heritage listings 
  This indicator is a proxy for our knowledge of Australia’s heritage. As we understand and study heritage places more, new places and items are assessed and included on protective statutory lists. This indicator provides some limited trend information on how many heritage items are listed for protection for the Register of the National Estate, but not as yet for the new lists.
• NCH-03 Process of listing, area and distribution of identified historic heritage places 
  Knowledge of heritage includes not only knowing the location of places and objects with heritage values but also understanding those values. Knowledge of heritage is important for the identification, assessment and adequate representation of heritage values.
  As we understand and study heritage places and items more, new places and items are assessed and included on protective statutory lists. This indicator provides limited trend information on numbers and distribution of heritage places and items that are listed for protection.
• NCH-04 Process of listing, area and distribution of significant heritage objects 
  This indicator is a proxy for our knowledge of Australia’s heritage. As we understand and study heritage places more, new places and items are assessed and included on protective statutory lists. This indicator provides some limited trend information on how many heritage items are listed for protection for the Register of the National Estate, but not as yet for the new lists.
• IW-34 Examples of deterioration of condition of wetland vegetation 
  Condition of wetlands and their ecological communities are indicative of the condition of this aspect of our natural heritage.
• BD-02 Conservation status of nationally significant species and ecological communities, compared with previous years 
  Species and ecological communities form part of our natural heritage. Listing of threatened species is a measure that can also be seen as a measure for protecting natural heritage.
• BD-04 Listed threatened species or ecological communities for which recovery action is showing stable or increasing populations 
  This indicator will help determine the effectiveness of recovery plans in improving the status of species that are part of our natural heritage.
• BD-07 Examples of Indigenous knowledge of species and ecological communities and their utilisation for management by Indigenous and non-Indigenous managers and for other purposes by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people 
  Indigenous knowledge is a significant part of Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. Examples of Indigenous involvement in biodiversity conservation are an important example of actions to protect both natural and Indigenous heritage.
• IW-10 Assessment of river condition indices 
  The component parts of this indicator provide a broad insight into the condition of river systems in respect to several aspects of flow regimes, and therefore help define the natural heritage aspects of river systems.

Related issues

• Biodiversity - Species, habitats and ecological communities- Conservation status of species and ecological communities 
• Coasts and Oceans - Contributions of the coasts and oceans to human life- Non-material values benefits (heritage, recreation, aesthetic and spiritual) 
• Land - Land condition- Condition of terrestrial species and ecological communities