Product Information

The Native Vegetation Extent Baseline and Monitoring for Tasmania project has successfully completed and extended the predecessor Monitoring Vegetation Extent project (MVEP). The current project has implemented statewide the change detection methodology developed and trialed in the MVEP, to generate information on vegetation change from the time of TASVEG mapping up to 2005 (TASVEG_change_2005 dataset).

A detailed methods/instructions document is available for the change detection process, as is a Technical Report on the Trial.

Change data was intersected with current TASVEG mapping to create a provisional_TASVEG_2005 vegetation extent baseline with an ‘as at’ date of 2005. This represents the first extent baseline for Tasmania. From this dataset, summary statistics were generated that described the extent (in hectares) of native vegetation, non-native vegetation and non-vegetation at a statewide, IBRA (5.1), NRM and catchment level. The provisional_TASVEG_2005 dataset and summary statistics were release to NLWRA on 1 December 2007.

The provisional_TASVEG_2005 dataset was later refined to produce the TASVEG_2005 extent baseline, and this improved dataset has been used to generate revised summary statistics describing: the extent (in hectares) and the percent total area of native vegetation for the state, IBRA (6.2) and NRM regions. Limitations of the provisional_TASVEG_2005 and TASVEG_2005 datasets are described in detail in the accompanying Final Technical Report.

This work has to improved the State’s ability to report against M&E indicators and has provided the basis for a system of reporting on changes in native vegetation extent at appropriate intervals. Implementation of this system to facilitate the development of an ongoing change detection program to comply with State and other National reporting requirements will require further effort.