Survey and mapping
Regional ecosystem 11.9.5, Acacia harpophylla (brigalow)
and Casuarina cristata (belah)The Herbarium has been producing high quality vegetation maps since the early 1970's. These maps have accurate spatial and point data on the distribution and species composition of vegetation communities and regional ecosystems. Survey data is compiled between scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 and the mapping is prepared at a scale of 1:100,000. The survey and mapping includes a pre-clearing coverage, as well as remnant vegetation data for the years 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Description of vegetation, ecology and statistics are also documented. Site data are available from the database CORVEG.
The survey and mapping program aims to provide comprehensive 1:100,000 scale vegetation and regional ecosystem information base across Queensland.
Vegetation and regional ecosystem mapping now exists for more than 70% of the State. The maps are an essential component for the administration of the Vegetation Management Act 1999 and are an important tool for land management, including conservation planning. The Vegetation Management Act status of these ecosystems have been determined from the Herbarium regional ecosystem mapping and are included in the digital mapping data.
The Queensland Herbarium's botanical information and ongoing research into Queensland's plants and plant communities, is complemented by the extensive mapping program. The Herbarium's plant specimen collection is essential to the survey and mapping program and is enhanced as field survey collections are incorporated in the Herbarium's collections.Minimum scale for regional ecosystem and remnant mapping
Pre-clearing and remnant regional ecosystem mapping over the majority of Queensland is produced at a scale of 1:100,000. At this scale, the minimum remnant polygon area is 5 hectares or minimum remnant width of 75 metres. The size limits refer to remnant vegetation cover. Therefore a smaller individual polygon of a regional ecosystem could be mapped if it was contiguous with a larger area of remnant vegetation.
Regional ecosystem linework reproduced at a scale greater than 1:100,000, except in designated areas, should be used as a guide only. The precision of polygon boundaries or positional accuracy of linework is 100 metres.
Parts of coastal Queensland and certified map amendments are frequently mapped at a larger scale. These areas generally have better information (eg. detailed local government mapping), more vegetation landscape diversity and development is usually at a finer scale.
Refer to Methodology for survey and mapping of regional ecosystems and vegetation communities in Queensland for further details about scale specifications.
Progress of the survey and mapping program
The survey and mapping of vegetation communities and regional ecosystems for more than two-thirds of Queensland has been completed for both pre-clearing and remnant vegetation distributions at a scale of 1:100,000. Part of Southeast Queensland is mapped at a scale of 1:50,000. The Wet Tropics bioregion has been remapped at 1:50,000 scale. The primary source of data from which the regional ecosystem mapping of the Wet Tropics bioregion was derived was The Vegetation of the Wet Tropics Bioregion. Based on reports and 1:25 000 data provided by J.P. and D.J. Stanton (1997-2005). Wet Tropics Management Authority, Cairns.
The pre-clearing vegetation communities for Cape York Peninsula, South Western and Central Western Queensland are mapped at a scale of 1:250,000. These data are in the process of being upgraded to a scale of 1:100,000. The remnant and regional ecosystem coverages are currently being developed for these areas.
The survey and mapping of vegetation for the remainder of the State, mainly the Gulf Plains and the Northwest Highlands bioregions is underway. The remnant vegetation cover exists for the areas coloured green on the map below.
Queensland's Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems
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Southeast Queensland showing area mapped at 1:50,000 scale
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Overview of steps involved in vegetation survey and mapping
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Delineation of the vegetation communities
on aerial photographs using stereoscopic pairs Delineation of the pre-clearing vegetation communities on aerial photographs, using stereoscopic pairs of photographs. - The communities are determined from the survey of remnant vegetation, aerial photographs, ecological and historical knowledge.
- The remnant vegetation communities are delineated by the extent of clearing (land cover) which is derived from recent Landsat TM satellite imagery. (Supplied by the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES), Australian Surveying and Land Information Group, Canberra. The satellite imagery used has been purchased and processed by the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS), Department of Natural Resources and Water.)
- The remnant vegetation community coverages are derived by intersecting the land cover with the pre-clearing vegetation coverage
- Digital elevation models (DEMs) are used to assist in the transfer of linework from the aerial photographs to the vegetation map
- Extensive field sampling and ground survey
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and analysis.
Products and applications
- A Copy of a Certified Regional Ecosystem Map is available in PDF format and returned to your e-mail.
- RE DATA are available from the EPA’s free web service. Current remnant regional ecosystem digital data for up to 3 Lot on Plans is provided in shapefile format, GDA94, geographic or UTM.
- Methodology for survey and mapping of regional ecosystems and vegetation communities in Queensland. This PDF publication on mapping procedure is available for download.
- Remnant Vegetation in Queensland. Analysis of remnant vegetation 1997-1999-2000-2001-2003, including regional ecosystem information. This publication is an analysis of remnant vegetation and is available on CD from the Queensland Herbarium or the text only is available in PDF format for download.
- Coastal wetlands of South-east Queensland. Coastal wetlands vegetation communities have been surveyed from the Maroochy Shire to the New South Wales border at a scale of 1:25,000. This survey and mapping covers 200 km of coastline with 342 detailed sites. Publications including maps and survey reports are available as hard copy or on CD.
- Information provides the basis for larger scale planning e.g. property management plans.
- Comprehensive site data - floristic, structural and environmental data for multiple purposes (taxonomic, modelling, biodiversity analysis and monitoring).
- Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD) — an updated description of regional ecosystems and their status.
Melaleuca quinquenervia open forest Please contact us by email: Queensland.Herbarium@epa.qld.gov.au
Tel: (07) 3896 9325 fax: (07) 3896 9624
Glossary
Regional ecosystems are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil.
Pre-clearing vegetation is defined as the vegetation present before clearing.
Remnant vegetati on is defined as vegetation where the predominant stratum of the vegetation is still intact, i.e. has at least 50% of the cover and more than 70% of the height, and is composed of species characteristic of the vegetation's undisturbed predominant stratum. This definition includes all woody structural formations as well as those dominated by shrubs, grasses and other life forms.
Last updated: 31 March 2009
