Download NaturePrint Regional Catchment Strategies guidelines. [PDF File

NaturePrint and Biodiversity Monitoring, Evaluation
and Reporting
Guidelines for Regional Catchment Strategies
These guidelines were produced by DSE to assist CMAs in using NaturePrint to develop assets for the
Regional Catchment Strategies. The guidelines cover terrestrial habitat and significant species and
communities thematic assets. They do not cover target setting. Please contact BES if you would like
assistance with target setting. Marine assets are not covered in these guidelines.
Data and information
DSE has produced an integrated biodiversity asset map called the NaturePrint Strategic Natural Values
map. The analysis behind the map incorporates the best information available through DSE databases on the
species distribution for all Victorian plants and animals including freshwater fish and crayfish. It explicitly
considers rare and threatened species site records. Therefore NaturePrint (in conjunction with Actions for
Biodiversity Conservation database) can be used to develop the terrestrial habitat and significant species and
communities thematic assets concurrently. In this document the combined thematic asset is called the
biodiversity asset.
Suggested steps
These steps have been developed and trialled in conjunction with Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment
Management Authority. The steps outline how a CMA could use the NaturePrint map to develop the terrestrial
habitat and significant species and communities thematic assets. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services staff
are available to provide assistance. Please see below for contacts.
Summary
To identify the biodiversity assets it is useful start with a shared understanding of the different biodiversity or
ecological ‘stories’ that exist in your catchment management area. It is suggested that you use the following
sequential steps. The next section describes these steps in further detail.
Identifying
environmental zones
1) Identify large geographic zones in your catchment management area
2) Examine NaturePrint rankings to identify patterns of value
Identifying broad assets
3) Refine asset boundaries based on generalised patterns of ecological processes
and NRM characteristics
Identifying draft
biodiversity
assets
Step 1: Identifying Environmental Zones
Identifying large geographic zones in CMA region driven by bio-geographical and geomorphological
patterns
Data: NaturePrint Strategic Natural Values map, historical land use, ecological data (e.g. EVCs), biophysical data (e.g. geology, rainfall), local information.
Purpose: Identify areas with similar environmental traits. This allows similar areas to be grouped
together and therefore the common ‘story’ of the area is easily identified.
Suggested approach/Example: Using a map of the entire catchment area (e.g. EVCs or NatuePrint
Values map) start to identify broadly similar environmental zones throughout the catchment area.
These zones should be based on best available environmental data (data sets such as
geomorphology, Ecological Vegetation Classes and soil type layers and guided by local information.
Zones should be as large as possible while maintaining a broadly similar biodiversity story.
The size and shape of the zones will be ‘fit for purpose’ and therefore there does not need to be strict
consistency between the zones within or between catchment areas.
For example, in the Port Phillip Westernport catchment management area we identified the zones as
Volcanic Plains, Salt marsh Coastal complex, Sunbury/Craigieburn plains and lower slopes,
Macedon Ranges, Lower Yarra creeks and foothills, Upper Yarra ranges, Edithvale Wetlands, Koo
Wee Rup heathland and swamps, Grantville heathy woodlands, Westernport/French Island inlet
coast and Mornington Peninsula. Please see next page for example maps.
Documentation:
In this step it is important to note down the main ecological and bio-physical data used and the
decision made to identify the areas.
Outputs:
1) A map of the CMA with all biodiversity zones identified.
2) A document describing the main influencing environmental data for each zone.
Map 1: EVC groups (1995) map of Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment area with environmental
zones identified.
Map 2: NaturePrint Strategic Natural Values map of Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment area
with environmental zones identified.
Step 2: Identifying Broad Assets
Examine NaturePrint colours to identify patterns of values
Data: NaturePrint Strategic Natural Values map (Values map)
Purpose: Use the high value NaturePrint colours to identify the pattern of values within the zones to
gain an understanding of the underlying biodiversity story within each zone.
Suggested approach/Example:
The identification of these patterns of values is done by examining the values map and identifying
the patterns through the colours on the map in each zone.
Create maps for each of the biodiversity zones created in Step 1.
The Values map can be used to identify patterns of value within the identified broad assets. The
assets might be shaped by:
a) largely intact and mostly highest value areas – larger areas of red and pink, often mixed
with and buffered by dark green
b) areas where strong options to improve connectivity are a feature – areas of purple and
mauve linking red, pink, light or dark green areas
c) constellations of high values within an area otherwise considered lower priority – small
dots of red or pink in a landscape of yellow or lower
At this stage in the process you may want to split some of the initial biodiversity zones into a number
of broad assets. The NaturePrint colours can help to identify zones that may need to be split
because there is too much variation in the rankings. For example:
Other data sources can also help to split the biodiversity zones into a number of broad assets. For
example, the Mornington Peninsula biodiversity zone was split into a number of broad assets based
on landforms and the land use patterns – this recognizes that the NRM approaches may differ in
these landscapes.
Area 1: Is distinguished by coastal scrubs and woodland and residential areas.
Area 2: Is distinguished by high ridges, dry forests, National Parks and Vineyards
Area 3: Is distinguished by lowland forest, larger settlements and hobby farms.
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1
2
Outputs:
1) A map of the CMA with a number of broad assets identified.
2) A document describing the main influencing environmental data for each zone and the
pattern of value identified.
Step 3: Identifying draft Biodiversity Assets
Refine boundaries of the broad assets to create draft biodiversity assets
Data: NaturePrint Strategic Natural Values map, information from NaturePrint about what is driving
the values, Native vegetation layers (i.e. EVCs), spatial risk data (e.g. future land use changes), local
information.
Purpose: To use boundaries of the generalised patterns of ecological process (social, environmental
and economic risks) to refine the boundaries of the broad assets and therefore create draft
biodiversity assets.
Suggested approach/Example:
Create maps for the individual broad assets that were created in step 2.
By using local knowledge and available data sets identify the key ecological processes and NRM
characteristics relevant to each broad asset.
Ecological processes can influence the identification of assets in two ways:
• the boundary may be adjusted to exclude the area where the ecological process occurs (e.g.
future land use changes); or
• the boundary remains the same but the effect of the ecological process is taken into account
when setting objectives and targets (e.g. high levels of predation).
For example, in the Port Phillip Western Port CMA some of the asset boundaries were adjusted to
exclude areas within the urban growth boundary. This was examined on a case-by case basis and
some areas were retained due to localised very high biodiversity values.
Each Catchment Management area will have their own version of the above example. It is important
to identify these risks and incorporate this in the asset identification.
Outputs:
1) A map of the CMA with a number of draft biodiversity assets identified.
2) A document describing the main influencing environmental data for each zone, the pattern of
value identified and the main ecological process affecting the assets.
Limitations
•
Both the species distribution models and the NaturePrint integrated maps were completed at a 75 x 75
m grid resolution however, some of the input data do not resolve at this level of spatial accuracy. As
such, care should be taken when using the maps at fine scales such as parcels, properties and
paddocks.
•
The NaturePrint inputs and outputs are checked by species, process and landscape experts. Initial
testing of the NaturePrint Values map with regional audiences has shown that the locations of highlyranked values align well with existing views of biodiversity priorities, while the process has also offered
some new insights into higher value areas. Users should be aware that some priorities may differ from
those on the map due to recent land use changes.
Other NaturePrint and BMER products
•
NaturePrint: Priorities for Action
An additional map is also being developed which considers future risks as well as values. The purpose
of the map is to identify which high value areas are at risk in the short-term and assist with prioritising
action. The map identifies priority candidate areas for actions to achieve biodiversity conservation
(where actions include regulation, publically-funded activities and strategic planning).
•
Data inputs to the NaturePrint maps
Please contact BES to access the NaturePrint data inputs.
Other related documents
•
Biodiversity Input into Regional Catchment Strategies
A general document outlining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services input in to the Regional
Catchment Strategies
•
Questions and Answers in response to RCS Managers August forum
•
DSE statement of Expectation for Regional Catchment Strategies (terrestrial habitat, significant
species and communities, weeds and pests and marine)
Contacts
For information please email [email protected] or Contact David Parkes 9637 8435, Natasha
McLean 9637 9898, Teigan Allen 96379 865 or Adrian Moorrees 96379866