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Biodiversity and Vegetation - Australia

Australia

Mechanisms for Native Vegetation Management in Australia

Australia's native vegetation and associated landscapes support a vast range of ecological processes and services critical for sustaining life. The benefits of improved approaches to native vegetation management and monitoring are not only environmental. Important social and economic benefits are derived from sustainable native vegetation management (ANZECC 2000):

Environmental benefits include:

• maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes, including soil formation, nutrient storage and cycling, and providing habitat for fauna;
• protecting water resources, e.g. vegetation along creeks and streams, trapping nutrients and sediment, and reducing bank erosion;
• protecting soil from wind and water erosion;
• breaking down pollution;
• acting as carbon sinks that absorb greenhouse gases;
• contributing a vital part of the hydrological cycle including maintaining regional rainfall patterns.

Social benefits include:

• providing places of scenic beauty;
• providing sites for tourism and recreation;
• providing places for research, education and scientific purposes;
• maintaining the distinctive Australian landscapes.

Economic benefits, particularly for agriculture, include:

• maintaining or reducing watertable levels and ameliorating or preventing salinity through deep rooted vegetation in catchments;
• providing shade for stock, thus reducing heat stress and leading to higher weight gains, improved fertility in sheep and improved milk production in dairy cattle;
• providing stock shelter which reduces lamb and sheep off-shears mortality and improves growth rates;
• providing shelter and windbreaks for crops and pastures, reducing moisture loss and physical damage to crops;
• preventing soil erosion and reversing other land degradation;
• providing habitat for crop pest predators such as insectivorous bats and birds;
• maintaining water quality and yields;
• providing timber and timber products;
• providing genetic resources for future development of pharmaceutical or agricultural products;
• providing fodder resources, especially in drought;
• providing a foundation for the apiary industry;
• providing buffers between agriculture and other land uses, particularly residential areas;
• providing native pastures which are a very significant fodder resource for fine wool enterprises;
• providing resources for native plant seed and wildflower harvesting;
• providing potential gains from the trading of 'carbon credits' if an emissions trading scheme eventuates;
• maintaining the productive capacity of land.

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 Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

Nature conservation in Australia

Nature conservation in Australia: applications

Australia's native vegetation cover is diverse, rich in species and complexity and has a very high degree of endemism. Native vegetation contributes to the natural values, resources and processes of biodiversity, soil and water resources, hydrology, land productivity, sustainable land use, and climate change. It also contributes to natural and cultural heritage, and Indigenous people's interests.

Nature conservation means much more than just protecting wildlife and its habitat in nature reserves. Conservation of native species and ecosystems, and the processes they support the flows and quality of rivers, wetlands and groundwater, and soil structure and landscapes are all crucial to the sustainability of primary industries. The management and conservation of native vegetation is the responsibility of all Australians and may be achieved through a variety of mechanisms.

Farm forestry. Katherine site enrichment
planting (July 1998), mixed planting in a strip
of bushland © Natural Heritage Trust Bushcare Support

The shift towards more sustainable land use systems is likely to include greater use of native Australian species than occurs in conventional agriculture today. Farming systems may in the future have portions of the landscape occupied by native perennials, some forming the basis of grazing systems, and others generating a range of products including carbon sequestration, timber, fuelwood, craftwood and pulp, cut flowers, essential oils, herbs, solvents, and pharmaceuticals. Community revegetation and regeneration activities could be underpinned and complemented by a thriving native vegetation industry and associated infrastructure for native vegetation management.

Managing for conservation values

Managing to conserve or enhance the conservation benefits of native vegetation can be achieved through a number of mechanisms, from formal reservation to incentives for conserving the values of individual remnants on private land.

Incentives schemes can be derived from and delivered at a range of scales (e.g. nationally through the taxation system and major targeted grants for national priorities; subnationally through revolving funds, industry codes of practice, accreditation systems and regulatory approaches; and regionally through regional grants, stewardship payments, planning, zoning and rating systems).

The general principles informing the design and delivery of incentives need to incorporate principles that include:

• natural resource management and resource allocation decisions being made at the lowest practicable level;
• systems that connect people as directly as possible with the consequences of their actions; and
• local ownership of problems and solutions are most likely to be genuine when revenue raising and resource allocation operate at the same level.

Examples of nature conservation mechanisms

Transition incentives

Transition incentives are one-off payments to assist landholders to meet new requirements imposed through legislative and land use planning processes. Policy or legislative change is accompanied by incentives that assist landholders in meeting new vegetation management obligations. The emphasis is on equity so as to retain landholder support and motivation for the transition to a new management standard.

An example of a transition incentive is in South Australia where payment for protecting vegetation under heritage agreements was made available following refusal of a clearance application under the native vegetation clearing legislation between 1985 and 1991.

The New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation recently introduced property agreements that assist landholders in managing native vegetation following the introduction of broadscale clearing controls in this State.

Farm forestry. Katherine site irrigated (April
2000) © Natural Heritage Trust Bushcare Support

Voluntary management agreements

Voluntary management agreements are a contract or binding agreement between a landholder and third party regarding the use and management of their land to assist in sustaining the conservation values in the long term. An integral part of these agreements is that they promote integrated agricultural and other productive land uses with the conservation of native vegetation (Binning & Young 1997).

Success of management agreements relies on:

• their development and promotion as a partnership between the parties; and
• maximisation of the values that are conserved for the wide benefit of all Australians (often referred to as 'stewardship').

Some management agreement mechanisms already operating include :

• New South Wales—voluntary conservation agreements, wildlife refuges, farming for the future, land for wildlife;
• Queensland—nature refuges;
• Victoria—land purchase, covenants, revolving funds, land management cooperative agreements, land for wildlife;
• South Australia—heritage agreements;
• Western Australia—remnant vegetation protection scheme, covenants;
• Tasmania—conservation covenant, private wildlife sanctuary, land for wildlife, forest stewardship agreements; and
• Northern Territory—covenants, partnership agreements.

Revolving funds

A revolving fund for biodiversity conservation involves the establishment of capital funds for purchasing land with conservation significance. When such land is purchased, a covenant is placed on its title to ensure future maintenance of identified conservation values. The land is then sold to sympathetic purchasers.

Revolving funds have the potential to be a highly effective incentive, particularly if it is accepted that it is difficult, if not impossible, to get resistant landholders to change management practices. Voluntary agreements are unlikely to be of assistance in securing sustainable management of vegetation on land owned by an individual who:

• does not value vegetation highly;
• is suspicious of government involvement; or
• is not attracted to binding agreements for areas of high conservation value.

As the property right is changed, via the revolving fund and covenant, it is more likely that a landholder committed to vegetation management will purchase the land.

Regional management plans

Regional vegetation management plans are increasingly being developed between the community and government to achieve long-term sustainable development based on agreed goals. Ideally, these plans should be integrated into other regional planning initiatives to achieve effective outcomes across a range of planning and management issues. Regional management plans provide an excellent tool for identifying strategic values of native vegetation and to assist in developing priorities and options for conservation action.

An holistic approach that considers the status of native vegetation on public and private land and associated biodiversity assets across all tenures is required to provide the context for development of the regional vegetation plans. Vegetation on public land in conservation reserves needs to be considered with respect to establishing conservation targets, and actively managing fire, weeds, feral animals, dieback and salinity. Regional vegetation plan actions should mainly focus on appropriate protection, and management and revegetation regimes over private and leasehold land.

Vegetation management programs on public and private land should consider links across the landscape and coordinated actions (e.g. pest plant and animal management). The vision identified in the regional vegetation plan will be achieved through a combination of public land management and vegetation management undertaken on private land.

Formal reserves

Formal reserve systems are established on a sound statutory basis. Typically they are established through an Executive Council and Parliamentary process which not only formally establishes the reserves in the network, but also requires Parliamentary approval to revoke previous reservation actions. This security of tenure is one of the key distinguishing features of formal reserves. Plans of management, prepared with public consultation and formally adopted, are also a feature of formal reserves, with implementation by a State-based government agency.

Reserve systems are devised to represent the array of ecosystems and natural and cultural features throughout the landscape. Increasingly they are based on fulfilling the principles of comprehensiveness (sampling all ecosystems), adequacy (long-term viability) and representativeness (sampling the variation within ecosystems), at least for natural heritage.

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve,
Northern Territory © Maria Cofinas

Indigenous Protected Areas

An Indigenous Protected Area is an area of land in relation to which traditional Indigenous owners have entered into a voluntary agreement to promote biodiversity and cultural resource conservation. Indigenous landowners are supported to manage their lands for the protection of natural and cultural features in accordance with internationally recognised standards and guidelines for the benefit of all Australians.

Landowners prepare a plan of management for the area they propose to declare as an Indigenous Protected Area. This may include:

• holding discussions with the relavant State/Territory conservation agencies and other agencies that may be able to support the project; and
• incorporating expert advice on the values of the Indigenous Protected Area and how these should be managed and protected.

Declaration is made by formal and public announcement of the intention to manage land as an Indigenous Protected Area according the prepared plan of management.

Protected areas in Australia have six Indigenous Protected Areas adding 507 087 ha of mainly World Conservation Union (IUCN) Category VI to the National Reserve System. Recent approved additions include:

• Wattarru in South Australia (1850000ha);
• Walalkara in South Australia (700000ha);
• Badger Island in Tasmania (1244 ha);
• Mt Chappell Island in Tasmania (325 ha);
• Guanaba in Queensland (99 ha);
• Dhimmuru in Northern Territory (92080ha);
• Warulkawa (Deliverence Island) in Queensland (3500 ha);
• Wattleridge in New South Wales (480ha); and
• Paruku in Western Australia (434588ha).

These contribute substantial areas of land to Australia's system of protected areas and provide a level of protection to Australia's native vegetation.

Identifying conservation values

One of the great challenges in developing a strategic approach to conservation of natural resources is understanding their spatial distribution, biological values and the ecosystem services they provide. The first step is to improve our knowledge base, in both theoretical and practical terms, about how to conserve, manage, enhance or re-establish native vegetation for various combinations of objectives at various scales.

Vegetation mapping is arguably one of the most valuable information requirements for conservation planning and natural resource management. Accurate vegetation maps at the appropriate scale enable conservation and land use planning and management, and provide baselines against which changes in vegetation type and extent can be measured.

Native vegetation on private or leasehold lands has not been a traditional focus of much vegetation mapping activity. Consequently, the information base of extent, type and condition of native vegetation on private lands is incomplete, fragmented and highly dispersed across a wide range of individuals and institutions within and outside government and academia. There is a great deal of local knowledge and insight among those involved in native vegetation management and revegetation activities but not much of this is formalised or widely accessible.

Improving the coverage and quality of our information base for native vegetation on private and leasehold land is a high priority for more effective natural resource management planning.

Information of vegetation extent, type and condition is more comprehensive for publicly owned land in the formal reserve system.

Key documents:

Native vegetation management in Australia

This report contains information on the major Government natural resource management institutions, programs and legislation affecting the use of native vegetation in each of the Commonwealth, States and Territories jurisdictions. It was developed as part of the National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia's Native Vegetation (1999). The report can be used as a reference tool for more detailed investigation into vegetation management in Australia and links are provided to related internet on-line information and contacts.

Compendium of vegetation management in Australia - a summary of national level vegetation related initiatives

A more detailed report on national strategies has been published, a Compendium of Vegetation Management in Australia including national strategies, guidelines and initiatives that have an impact on vegetation management and monitoring and covers reporting mechanisms and international obligations in relation to native and exotic vegetation management. In addition, there are a number of strategies and principles dealing with sustainability issues that affect vegetation management.

Determining the effectiveness of vegetation management programs measures and methodologies - literature review

A literature review surveyed current knowledge of the biological, physical and socio-economic processes occurring in many land, water, conservation and agricultural improvement projects so that useful indicators linking actions to final outcomes could be identified more easily. The review includes research on salinity, soil conservation, water quality, biodiversity, wood production, crop yields, infrastructure damage and carbon sequestration. It also encompasses the success or otherwise of programs directed at changing people's behaviour in relation to conservation programs and suggests areas in need of further research.

The report was initiated as part of a consultancy concerned with measures and methodologies to determine the effectiveness of vegetation management programs and was funded by Bushcare and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Joint Venture Agroforestry Program.

Informing vegetation management

The Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001, in collaboration with Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies, collated, from wide ranging and disparate data sets the best available information on native vegetation and compared present and estimated extent of native vegetation prior to European settlement.

It is underpinned by a standardised, Australia-wide framework developed for collating and reporting vegetation type and extent. This is, in itself, a major achievement, providing both a benchmark and an information system that will facilitate regular updates of information and assessment of change and trends in the extent of native vegetation.

Applications of an information system and assessments of our native vegetation will inform governments and the community about the role of native vegetation in natural resource management and biodiversity planning and have the capacity to contribute directly to initiatives such as:

• international, national, State and Territory, and regional reporting obligations (e.g. nature conservation, desertification, greenhouse and State of Environment reporting);
• vegetation-specific reporting requirements such as that required under the Australia and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia's Native Vegetation and State of the Environment reporting;
• the regional planning process under the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and Natural Heritage Trust;
• developing nature conservation priorities and programs, with extent of native vegetation being the best available measure of terrestrial biodiversity and habitat; and
• benchmarking, collating data and interpreting it as the basis for monitoring and reporting change in the extent of native vegetation.

Most importantly natural resource managers at a range of levels will have access to contiguous and up to date information on Australia's native vegetation. This is essential for a range of activities including:

• developing natural resources plans and strategies across the landscape;
• setting priorities for revegetation; and
• assessing impacts of proposed clearing and other land use development activities.

Vegetation Condition

Native vegetation is affected by many pressures impacting on its internal integrity and long-term survival in the landscape.

Isolated vegetation fragments are even more susceptible to these pressures as their boundaries are exposed to disturbances (e.g. weed invasion) and land use practices (e.g. grazing of the understorey).

Information on disturbances and impacts on the native vegetation:

• are valuable in assessing the status of vegetation communities;
• can help plan for and change land uses to minimise the impacts of disturbance and to ensure that remnant vegetation patches are viable; and
• can be combined and reported to provide assessments of vegetation condition based users needs.

The Draft Framework for the Assessment and Monitoring of Native Vegetation Condition (Environment Australia 2001- 732Kb PDF) attempts to provide a framework within which to collect information on an attribute basis which can then be aggregated into assessments of condition depending on the user requirements. This paper details proposals for native vegetation condition assessment and monitoring which is in itself an output that informs and provides priorities for native vegetation management and is an input to more integrated monitoring and assessment activities like biodiversity conservation, catchment or landscape reporting or waterway management.

The objectives of this framework are to:

Define an approach to the reporting of native vegetation condition through which Commonwealth, State and Territory vegetation condition information requirements can be met.

The key elements of this approach is a framework to:

• identify the needs of clients of native vegetation condition information;
• describe a method to measure and interpret change in vegetation condition, by measuring landscape attributes that will act as surrogates; and
• propose a draft set of core attributes for the assessment and monitoring of native vegetation condition.

The framework sets out a national approach for the assessment and monitoring of the condition of native vegetation in Australia through which Commonwealth, State and Territory vegetation condition information requirements can be met.

The landscape health assessment (NLWRA 2001) has classified a range of disturbances into an assessment of health on a subregional basis, providing a region-wide context of landscape health.

Vegetation Condition Bibliography

The bibliography (published June 2000) is a collation of information on vegetation condition and landcover change gained from a variety of sources including researchers, referenced library sources and project information published on the world wide web.

Disturbance of native vegetation

The mapping of disturbances for vegetation communities is not available across Australia. Information is available for small areas and has not been consistently collected across large areas.

Case Study 1: Western Australia

The mapping of some disturbances which can be distinguished through aerial photography has been undertaken in parts of south-west Western Australia as a pilot project. In addition to mapping the extent of remnant vegetation, it demonstrates the level of additional disturbances within vegetation fragments.

Information was collected on:

• mining and infrastructure disturbances;
• the potential risk to native vegetation from rising water tables and associated salinisation; and
• the potential risk to each vegetation type as a consequence of clearing at the broad landscape level.

Further information is available from Agriculture Western Australia (Beeston et al. 2001) and an extract from the report on "Disturbance of and Threats to Native Vegetation" (1012Kb PDF) by D.P. Shepherd, S. Mazzilli and A.J.M. Hopkins.

Case Study 2: Condition Pilot Projects

The aim of these projects was to test the application of the Draft Framework for the Assessment and Monitoring of Native Vegetation Condition (Environment Australia 2001) and to assess its suitability for meeting biodiversity objectives such as conservation management of threatened species/communities, remnant native vegetation, significant wetlands and Commonwealth marine areas. The framework was applied via a series of case studies with sites chosen not only to reflect different ecosystem types but to demonstrate accuracy and precision of results based on a best and worst case scenario in terms of data quality.

Monitoring Vegetation Condition in a Forested Environment

Forest Condition Assessment and Implications for Biodiversity - Case Study in the Queensland Brigalow Belt

Using Airborne Laser Altimetry to Assess and Monitor Biodiversity

Monitoring Vegetation Condition in a Rangelands Environment

Case Study in a Rangelands Environment using Remote Sensing

Methods Paper - Illumination Correction of Landsat TM Data

Illumination Correction of Landsat TM data in South East New South Wales

Application: Fragmentation of Native Vegetation

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 Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

Application: Nature Conservation

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 Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

Click here to view this extract.

Case Studies: Native Vegetation Management

At regional scales 4 case studies were undertaken:

Case study 1: Vegetation Management, Recent Vegetation Change, Queensland

The extent of Australia's vegetation continues to change through selective species removal, thinning, regrowth and clearing. In some states and territories rapid rates of vegetation clearing are affecting large areas of land which have already been highly cleared and fragmented or are in marginally productive areas. Information on the extent of native vegetation to support vegetation management in these jurisdictions requires more regular updating to ensure that the rates of change and trends can be monitored, the types of vegetation being cleared are documented and vegetation management plans are relevant.

This case study demonstrates how the NVIS data as a baseline of vegetation type and extent (pre-European and 1995 for Queensland) and information on areas cleared since 1995 can be used to assess changes in vegetation extent over time. The information on the extent of vegetation in1997 was obtained from the Queensland Herbarium which has been derived from the Statewide Landcover and Tree Study (SLATS) (Queensland Department of Natural Resources (2000)) data and the Queensland Herbarium remnant vegetation data for the state.

A record and analysis of these changes and trends in native vegetation type and extent are in themselves an indication of the condition of native vegetation in the landscape.

Case Study 2: Vegetation change since pre-European settlement and information to support regional vegetation management, Queensland

This case study demonstrates the use of the National Vegetation Information System information on major vegetation groups and information hierarchy at Level IV to determine the changes in vegetation type and extent at a subregional level. Detail is also provided on the present land use and land tenure in the region as part of the information set necessary to underpin regional planning and management decisions.

Case study 3: A Vegetation Information System Management Application, Queensland Brigalow Belt Case Study

Implementation of the Queensland Vegetation Management Act 2000 includes the requirement for regional vegetation management plans. These plans provide an opportunity for State legislation and policies to be implemented at the local scale, enabling the various community and industry natural resource use opportunities to be debated and met in a structured and informed way.

For Queensland in total, between 1995 and 1997, the annual clearing rate across Queensland was 340 000 ha; between 1997 and 1999, it was 425 000 ha with two-thirds being remnant vegetation (Department of Natural Resources 2000). Clearing, while not significant in all regions across the State, is increasingly occurring in marginal areas such as the Brigalow belt and impacting on threatened vegetation remnants in highly fragmented landscapes.

To put the Brigalow belt in context, thirty-two percent of regional ecosystems in Queensland are threatened (Sattler & Williams 1999) including endangered ecosystems (<10% remaining in a natural condition) and ecosystems of concern (10 - 30% remaining in a natural condition). at least two-thirds of these ecosystems are threatened by clearing; the balance are threatened from other processes (e.g. overgrazing and weed invasion). twelve the 36 sub-regions in the brigalow belt have less than 30% remaining vegetation, with a further five having less than 40%. in the southern brigalow belt bioregion this proportion is much greater and generally coincides with the murray-darling catchment in queensland.

This case study for the Brigalow belt demonstrates:

• the application and uses of a vegetation information system for regional planning; and
• the role of a vegetation information system in identifying issues for state and national policy development such as minimum requirements for regional vegetation management plans.
• where remaining natural vegetation has fallen below 30%
• sub-regions with less than 40% natural vegetation as it is expected that since this analysis is based on 1997 satellite imagery these sub-regions may be approaching the 30% threshold and
• sub-regions with less than 50% and 60% vegetation to flag areas where particular land zones, such as alluvial systems, may have been cleared disproportionately.

Case study 4: Vegetation Management, New South Wales low-rainfall cropping lands, Walgett Shire, New South Wales

Australia's low-rainfall cropping lands contain important economic, productive, cultural, social, and ecological resources. Developing and then managing a balance between these various values is a key challenge for the New South Wales community led Vegetation Management Committees.

Knowledge of the status, condition and trends of native vegetation is essential background information. To assist in planning, communities need an accurate and accessible native vegetation database to enable timely and defensible decisions about native vegetation management.

This case study was located in the Walgett Shire of north-western New South Wales where a complex mix of land uses, including expanding wheat and cotton industries have made native vegetation management planning a priority natural resource management issue. The case study investigates the standards and collation of data sets and information required for input into regional vegetation planning in New South Wales.

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. (Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001)

The Way Forward - An Australia-wide data management initiative to underpin native vegetation management

Completing the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 and the supporting National Vegetation Information System was only possible because of the long term investment to date in vegetation mapping activities across Australia. The lack of consistent information collection however has impeded the ready availability of comparable data and information across Australia, independent of jurisdictional or project boundaries in many cases.

Data about our native vegetation continues to be collected. If we wish to improve our capacity to answer questions about native vegetation it is essential that new data are also consistent and comparable Australia-wide.

Promoting the Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 outcomes

Applications of the information system and the assessment will inform governments and the community about the role of native vegetation in natural resource management and biodiversity planning. The information compiled will contribute to initiatives such as the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and Natural Heritage Trust.

Keeping guidelines and information relevant

Environment Australia will act as the national coordinator supported by a partnership with Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia and the States and Territories to continue the work of providing comparable and consistent data sets Australia wide.

Ensuring continued information and updating through cooperative arrangements

A continued Australia-wide approach underpinned by a distributed information systemСll States and Territories have agreed to continue working in partnership with Commonwealth agencies towards this goal.

Strategic investment

Collecting and collating data and information on key gaps and to meet natural resources management priorities.

Landscape scale information

Linking the National Vegetation Information System to other natural resource information including land use mapping and developing an improved understanding of the role of vegetation in landscape function, assisting natural resource and biodiversity planning and management.

Vegetation change and condition

Information on changes in vegetation type and extent can be used as a basis for condition monitoring. Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 provides a framework for assessments, monitoring and reporting of the status of native vegetation.

Stocktake and evaluation

Evaluating progress, incorporating new methods of vegetation mapping and data analysis, undertaking future assessments at a maximum of five-yearly intervals based on the National Vegetation Information System 2000 baseline and ensuring relevance to broader natural resource management activities.

Management relevance

Based on good information, we can develop targets for native vegetation management and its application to salinity management, erosion control and biodiversity conservation across all regions of Australia.

View further information on the ways forward in the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

References

View References from the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 Report.

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

New South Wales

• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
• NSW Botanic Gardens

Northern Territory

• Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment

Queensland

• Environment Protection Agency

South Australia

• Department for Environment and Heritage

Tasmania

• Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment

Victoria

• Department of Sustainability and Environment

Western Australia

• Department of Conservation and Land Management
• Agriculture WA

Commonwealth

• Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Australian Greenhouse Office
• Environment Australia

Further information

View the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report

The National Vegetation Information System framework

View Landscape Health in Australia 2001 report

View the Australian Dryland Salinity Assessment 2000

View the Rangelands - Tracking Changes. Australian Collaborative Rangeland Information System

View the Australian Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment 2002

View the Australian Biodiversity Assessment 2002

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