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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 - Australia
Australia
Natural resource management and Native Vegetation - an Overview
Natural resource management requires integrated solutions and assessments across the landscape. The Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 serves as an input to the broader natural resource management issues assessed by the Audit and other natural resource management activities at all scales of government and community activity.
The Natural Heritage Trust is focusing on protecting and enhancing native vegetation cover across Australia to reverse the long-term decline in the quality and extent of Australia's native vegetation cover. Parallel to the Bushcare initiative under the Natural Heritage Trust, all States and Territories have active programs in vegetation management, usually based on regional vegetation management planning.
- Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 provides a key information input to planning and vegetation management activities from Australia-wide through to regional scales by making information available on the extent and type of native vegetation present.
The National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia's Vegetation (ANZECC 2000) builds on existing inter-governmental agreements and unifies and complements these processes for native vegetation management. The framework is intended to have a broad scope and to apply across the landscape (inclusive of all processes) and to encompass the environmental, social and economic values of native vegetation. It notes that a system of compatible vegetation information across Australia is one of the key inputs into best practice arrangements for vegetation management and monitoring.
- The National Vegetation Information System underpins and significantly contributes to the Australian New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia's Vegetation.
Native vegetation has a range of productive as well as conservation values. Australia has a long history of forest management and continues to seek a balance between their productive and conservative use.
- Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 provides context information for forest planning, providing an Australia-wide overview of our forest and woodland types and their extent. The National Vegetation Information System, when linked to the National Forest Inventory data sets will provide an important information source for planning and management activities.
The National Action Plan on Salinity and Water Quality is a significant advance for natural resource management. It calls for concerted effort of governments and community through regional planning approaches to address the issues of dryland salinity and water quality within 20 priority catchments. Dryland salinity control is chiefly concerned with re-establishing the water balance that occurred with pre-European native vegetation. Native vegetation management plays a key role in protection from and mitigation against dryland salinity.
- Information on the pre-European and present native vegetation contained within the National Vegetation Information System are key inputs to understanding changes in water balance that have caused increase in groundwater levels. Native vegetation information also provides input to determining the most appropriate strategies to re-establishing water balance.
As part of the international commitment to mitigating against climate change, the Australian Greenhouse Office has established a National Carbon Accounting System that requires information on carbon sequestration and release from both soils and vegetation. The National Vegetation Information System provides the best available Australia-wide vegetation extent and type information, fundamental to and underpinning the National Carbon Accounting System.
- The data sets contained within the National Vegetation Information System are key inputs to understanding changes to Australia's carbon accounts, particularly the role of native vegetation.
About the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001
The Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 is the first Australia-wide, regional level, collaborative assessment of the type, extent and change in Australia's native vegetation cover. It reports on the status of Australia's native vegetation using the National Vegetation Information System and other sources of mapped vegetation information.
The National Vegetation Information System was developed using State and Territory mapped vegetation data in collaboration with Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies and provides a national framework for inventory and monitoring of vegetation types and extent.
The National Vegetation Information System framework allows for additional data collection and interpretation building an Australia-wide consistent approach to native vegetation information-a key basis for improved vegetation management.
- presents the first regional level, comprehensive guidelines for assessing and reporting Australia's native vegetation resources, their extent and change since European settlement
- reports on the type and distribution of Australia's native vegetation
- presents a range of information products about Australia's native vegetation including examples and applications of the native vegetation information at scales appropriate for Australia-wide policy development and program evaluation
- describes the development of the National Vegetation Information System
- reports on the application of the information framework for mapping Australia's vegetation (including structural and floristic characteristics and quality of the mapping) and documenting sources of vegetation information
- identifies key knowledge and information gaps about Australia's native vegetation
- details national coordinator and data custodian relationships for the ongoing maintenance and updating of the National Vegetation Information System to ensure currency and relevance of Australia's information on native vegetation
- Specifies an agreed technical framework and guidelines allowing for the collection, compilation and monitoring of Australia's vegetation
- Stores data on type and extent of native vegetation in Australia
- Provides an Australia-wide geographic and attribute information system for vegetation data that facilitates analysis and reporting
- Provides access to a range of detailed and compatible mapped data sets about Australia's native vegetation.
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 Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment 2002.
View the Australian Biodiversity Assessment 2002 (available August 2002).
View all Theme Reports from the National Land and Water Resources Audit.
Link to Atlas on-line mapping for maps of major vegetation groups and other natural resource data.
Link to data available for down load.
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