Environmental Account

Northern Agricultural Region (WA)

CONTENTS

• Region overview

• Challenges

• Successes and benefits

• Using expert opinion

• Bird account

• Future direction

• Questions Kalannie

NORTHERN AGRICULTURAL REGION (NAR)

CHALLENGES WITH THE TRIAL

• Data access and quality

• ScaleVariations in both the age of the survey and its capture scale.

• Vegetation surveys used different methodologiesVegetation was assessed using varying classification schemes

for both vegetation type and condition.

• Asking the right questions

Heal’s breakaway

SUCCESSES AND BENEFITS

• Closer partnerships with other

agenciesLinkages with Department of Water and the Department of

Environment and Conservation

• Identification of knowledge gaps

• Data compilation

• Standardised methodologies

• Identification of areas to target for

investment

• Access to researchers and scientists

USING EXPERT OPINION

Native vegetation account

CALCULATING VEGETATION CONFIGURATION• Assessment of difference between Pre-European and current

configurationExpert panel assigned each vegetation association with a value out of 5, based on a visual comparison between the

current and Pre-European extent.

This value was then converted to a value out of 100 to be incorporated in the account.

Vegetation associations that were totally fragmented when compared to the Pre-European extent were given a 0

Configuration = 0Configuration = 100

CALCULATING VEGETATION COMPOSITION

Hakea open shrublandConfiguration = 60

CALCULATING VEGETATION COMPOSITION• Available survey data was

compiled and standardisedSurvey data from 5 different surveys was compiled

together and standardised to the same Keighery

Scale for vegetation condition.

Survey points were then intersected with the

vegetation association layer.

Vegetation survey data

Survey score 91-100 71-90 51-70 31-50 11-30 0-10

Condition score 100 80 60 40 20 0Keighery

scale

Pristine Excellent

Very Good Good Degraded

Completely Degraded

Trud scale

1 - Pristine Condition

2 - Minor weeds or disturban

ce vegetatio

n

3 - Weeds dominate understory (stock grazing)

4 - Tree or shrub

cover only

5 - Very sparse

tree cover

6 - Completely Degraded

CALCULATING VEGETATION COMPOSITION• Where survey data was

available, the median value was taken

• Aerial interpretation was used where no other survey data existedPanel looked for signs of disturbance, surrounding

land use and reserve status.

Aerial photos used for analysis

FINAL NATIVE VEGETATION ACCOUNT• Final Econd values for native

vegetationMapped using natural breaks

Final Econd values

BIRD ACCOUNT

Complied by Denis Saunders

DATA USED IN THE ACCOUNT

• Presence / absence surveys collected by volunteersTwo long-term studies: Woopenatty (1987-2002) and Koobabbie

(1988-2011) where data was collected weekly by land owners over

four weeks each month.

• Bird Atlas data

• 12 species lists from 1903 to 1979

• Conservation statusCarnaby's Cockatoos

MAKING THE ACCOUNT

• Residential statusSpecies defined as either residents, regular visitors, irregular visitors and

vagrants.

• Presence rating Calculated out of 1 for each species for each of the different recording

periods/sources.

• Assigned conservation value Based on vulnerability status and regional significance, out of 100.

Mallee fowl

Reference condition = 100

Common, but declining = 70

Regionally threatened = 30

Regionally vulnerable = 10

Regionally endangered = 5

Regionally extinct = 0

WHERE TO NEXT?

IMPROVING THE NATIVE VEGETATION ACCOUNT

• On ground surveys / ground truthing

• Updates of datasets

• Investigation of using SPOT imagery

• Patch metrics

Shark BayPhoto: www.astrium-geo

SUPPORT TO INCREASE THE ACCOUNT

• Not just a matter of money

• Investigate a coastal accountThe community has identified the coast as a priority asset

in the NAR, how can it be valued using the new LiDAR

and hyperspectral imagery it acquired.

• Using the Econd to set management targetsNACC is in the process of updating its NRM Plan, the

rigours process of the account is a good framework to

provide substance to our targets.

THANK YOUfor your time