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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Biodiversity and Vegetation - Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?
Map: Pre-European Major Vegetation Groups in
Source:
Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2001
The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.
The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.
Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data
What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?
| Major Vegetation Group | Area (km2) | % total extent |
|---|---|---|
| Eucalyptus tall open forests | 4 | .2 |
| Eucalyptus open forest | 984 | 41.7 |
| Eucalyptus low open forest | 123 | 5.2 |
| Eucalyptus woodlands | 725 | 30.7 |
| Callitris forest and woodlands | 5 | .2 |
| Casuarina forest and woodlands | 3 | .1 |
| Eucalyptus open woodlands | 270 | 11.4 |
| Other Shrublands | 8 | .4 |
| Heath | 9 | .4 |
| Tussock grasslands | 207 | 8.8 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 2 | .1 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 18 | .8 |
Methods
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
Pre-European vegetation of Australia has been reconstructed using a variety of interpolation and modeling techniques from mapping and information on the present types and extent, historical records and early aerial photographs. It is assumed that Australia had experienced no significant clearing other than changes due to fire regimes prior to European settlement.
The underlying data used to describe the pre-European vegetation is in many cases the same as that representing the present vegetation. Some States and Territories have assumed that vegetation types mapped as pre-European vegetation also approximate the present vegetation.
This presents varying problems in interpreting changes in vegetation. There are very few areas in Australia that have not undergone some modification in species or structure following European settlement (e.g. changes in fire regime). Australian scientists are still developing systems and techniques to assess the condition and changes to condition of native vegetation.
In all states, adding the present vegetation data from the National Vegetation Information System to the available pre-European mapping provided the source for the pre-European major vegetation groups. In South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania the pre-European vegetation is presented as an interim product to be used at broad State and national scales. In Tasmania the pre-European data set was derived from modelling techniques and is yet to be finalised.
The major vegetation groups that are mapped, represent the dominant vegetation occurring in a particular area.
Applications
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
The inferred pre-European vegetation mapping can provide:
- a broad baseline to document change in the extent and type of native vegetation;
- information to assist in understanding the landscape for management and conservation of biodiversity;
- an understanding of native vegetation cover which, coupled with details on Australia's soils, topography and climate variability assists construction of a modelled; assessment of natural soil erosion. This then allows us to understand changes in soil erosion patterns that have accompanied land use and are now impacting on the condition of our rivers, estuaries and near shore zones (NLWRA in prep.);
- species and vegetation community information to assist in regional revegetation activities; and
- information to assist in understanding changes in water balance, the key driver of dryland salinity (NLWRA 2001a) and changes in catchment surface water hydrology (NLWRA 2001b).
Limitations
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
The variety of methods used to map pre-European vegetation, the scale of some of the data and the difficulty of mapping in fragmented landscapes has resulted in an Australia-wide map which presents a combination of very broad and detailed mapping.
Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory National Vegetation Information System data have the greatest reliability. The New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmanian data are interim products and provide a broad scale view of Australia's pre-European vegetation.
The Guidelines section of this report provides guidelines on the use of the information and Appendix 8 presents information on the sources of data that have been collated into the National Vegetation Information System to represent Australia's pre-European vegetation including the extent, scale and date of collection.
Figures 6 and 7 provide information on the location and extent of data sets, their scale and level of classification used to develop the major vegetation groups.
What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?
Dominated by the Brindabella and Booth Ranges and associated foothills, the vegetation of this small Territory is typical of the Australian Alps and South East Highlands bioregions of New South Wales.
The largest area of the Australian Capital Territory is covered by the South East Highlands bioregion where clearing has been concentrated and urban infrastructure associated with the centre of Canberra is located.
- Dominant vegetation in the higher altitude and subalpine areas is eucalypt open forests, eucalypt woodlands, eucalypt open woodlands, heath, closed shrublands and tussock grasslands.
- Patches of eucalypt tall open forests, low closed forests, callitris and eucalypt woodlands, and tussock grasslands occur at lower altitudes.
Map: Major Vegetation Groups in (circa 1997)
Source:
Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2001
The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.
The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.
Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data
What is the area of major vegetation groups in (circa 1997)?
| Major Vegetation Group | Area (km2) | % total extent |
|---|---|---|
| Cleared / modified native vegetation | 738 | 31.3 |
| Eucalyptus tall open forests | 4 | .2 |
| Eucalyptus open forest | 937 | 39.7 |
| Eucalyptus low open forest | 49 | 2.1 |
| Eucalyptus woodlands | 223 | 9.5 |
| Callitris forest and woodlands | 5 | .2 |
| Casuarina forest and woodlands | 3 | .1 |
| Eucalyptus open woodlands | 270 | 11.4 |
| Other Shrublands | 8 | .4 |
| Heath | 9 | .4 |
| Tussock grasslands | 91 | 3.9 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 2 | .1 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 18 | .8 |
Methods
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
The decision framework that underpinned compilation of the range of mapped present vegetation data sets into the National Vegetation Information System hierarchy is provided in Appendix 9.
Major vegetation groups that were mapped represent the dominant vegetation occurring in a particular area.
Applications
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
Appendix 1 presents the area and type of major vegetetation group in each IBRA bioregion. Information collated into a consistent framework can be used to report on Australia's native vegetation using any defined region selected by users.
Information about the extent and type of remaining native vegetation can be integrated with other key data sets to understand:
- landscape function;
- remaining habitats;
- opportunities for catchment rehabilitation, whether the issue is catchment hydrology or dryland salinity control;
- priorities for protection and rehabilitation, ensuring remaining native vegetation is representative of Australia's pre-European communities; and
- the contribution of native vegetation to land use planning and sustainable use of Australia's natural resources.
Limitations
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
Native regrowth and native plantings have not been specifically mapped or compiled into the National Vegetation Information System. Much of the mapping compiled in the National Vegetation Information System does not include small native vegetation remnants such as road reserves, travelling stock routes and undeveloped lands within farming landscapes.
The National Vegetation Information System data sets have the greatest reliability in mapping the type and extent of the native vegetation. Additional data used to compile an Australia-wide map of major vegetation groups should be considered an interim product and provides broad scale information on native vegetation.
The aggregation into major vegetation groups for summary analysis purposes simplifies the health of data provided for collation under the National Vegetation Information System, with the species and type detail behind all mapping programs provided in lower categories of the hierarchy.
The Guidelines section provides guidelines on the use of the information and Appendix 8 presents information on the sources of data that have been collated into the National Vegetation Information System to represent Australia's native vegetation including the extent, scale and date of collection. Figures 9 and 10 provide information on the location and extent of data sets, their scale and level of classification used to develop the major vegetation groups.
The State and Territory summaries of present vegetation also provide guidelines on the use of the information.
What is the extent of native vegetation in (circa 1997)?
Map: Extent of native vegetation in ACT (circa 1997) - green areas
Area of native vegetation remaining (km2): 1,620 km2
Percent remaining native vegetation: 69%
Methods
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
The analysis of native vegetation extent is based on the compiled information, as detailed in previous sections.
Limitations
The material below is an extract from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report. For ease of cross reference, figure, table and section references pertain to the chapter structure of this report. The Further Information section provides links to the full graphics version of the material below and the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.
As noted in the previous section, the age of the data sets, their accuracy and the attributes mapped vary.
Woody cover is over-represented in central and western New South Wales and Tasmania due to the age of the data sets available for compilation into the National Vegetation Information System and development of the major vegetation groups. Some regions within these States have experienced much higher levels of clearing than reported. More accurate information for New South Wales and Tasmania is available from those States.
Native and derived grasslands are often not well mapped particularly in mapping coverages from South Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Link to native vegetation information for 's bioregions
Navigable map of (with IBRA5.1 boundaries included)
Knowledge, data and information gaps
The compilation of native vegetation information has highlighted a number of gaps in our knowledge, the data and information about Australia's native vegetation.
References
View the references used in the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001.
Partnerships
Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 was facilitated and coordinated by the National Land and Water Resources Audit and prepared in partnership with State, Territory and Commonwealth agencies:
Australian Capital Territory
Department of Urban Services
www.urbanservices.act.gov.au
New South Wales
Department of Land and Water Conservation
www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
www.npws.nsw.gov.au
NSW Botanic Gardens
www.rbgsyd.gov.au
Northern Territory
Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts
www.nt.gov.au/nreta
Queensland
Environment Protection Agency
www.epa.qld.gov.au
South Australia
Planning SA
www.planning.sa.gov.au
Tasmania
Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment
www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au
Victoria
Department of Sustainability and Environment
www.dse.vic.gov.au
Western Australia
Department of Conservation and Land Management
www.calm.wa.gov.au
Agriculture WA
www.agric.wa.gov.au
Commonwealth
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
www.daff.gov.au
Australian Greenhouse Office
www.greenhouse.gov.au
Australian Department of Environment and Heritage
www.environment.gov.au
Further information
Exit to the ACT Department of Urban Services
View the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report
The National Vegetation Information System Framework framework
View Landscape Health in Australia 2001 report
View the Australian Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment 2002
View the Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002
View all Theme Reports from the National Land and Water Resources Audit
Link to dynamic mapping
Link to data available for download
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