Environment and Resource Management

Remnant vegetation in Queensland

Definitions

Remnant vegetation includes both woody and non-woody vegetation as defined below.

Woody vegetation

Woody vegetation is mapped as remnant where the dominant canopy has greater than 70% of the height and greater than 50% of the cover relative to the undisturbed height and cover of that stratum and is dominated by species characteristic of the vegetation's undisturbed canopy.

An undisturbed stratum (or layer) is defined as one that shows no evidence of extensive mechanical or chemical disturbance (logging, clearing, poisoning, etc.) evident in field inspections or on the available historical aerial photographic record.

Non-woody vegetation

Non-woody vegetation is vegetation in which the ecologically dominant stratum is composed of grasses and /or other non-woody vegetation. Defining remnant status in non-woody dominated vegetation, such as grasslands, on the characteristics of the height and cover of the canopy (i.e. the grasses and forbs) is not practical.

The dominant layer in these vegetation types is highly variable according to seasonal conditions, and can be rapidly modified by grazing, fire or mechanical mowing. Neither can variations in its composition and condition be readily and consistently recognised from Landsat TM imagery. The department's two-step process for mapping remnant grasslands and other non-woody vegetation types is therefore to:

Report Update - subregion and bioregion analysis of remnant vegetation 1997-2006, including regional ecosystem information

Figure 1. Area analysed for regional ecosystem statistics by subregion.

Figure 1. Area analysed for regional ecosystem statistics by subregion.

 

This update provides subregion and bioregion analysis of remnant vegetation 1997-2006 to replace the subregion and bioregion analysis provided in the comprehensive report 2008.

The report provides statistics on the extent of Queensland's remnant vegetation, and regional ecosystems for 86% of the state and extends the reporting period to include the 2005-2006. The update is based on detailed survey and mapping of Version 6.0b Regional Ecosystems and Version 5.0 Bioregions and Subregions of Queensland (Figure 1).

It provides bioregional and subregional analysis of the amount of pre-clearing and remnant vegetation in Queensland and the extent of clearing of remnant vegetation, based on individual regional ecosystems.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management, through the Queensland Herbarium is the lead agency for surveying and mapping regional ecosystems throughout the state.

The report provides essential information and consolidated maps to support state and local government, natural resource management agencies, business and landholders in biodiversity planning and management.

Remnant vegetation analysis by subregion

The clearing rate of remnant vegetation and regional ecosystems in the 2005–2006 period was 231,000 hectares per year (Figure 2).

 

Figure 2. The average annual clearing rates for remnant vegetation from 1997 to 2006.

 

The majority of the remnant vegetation clearing between 2005 and 2006 occurred in the Mulga Lands bioregion (58% of clearing in Queensland) largely within the Langlo Plains, West Warrego, Warrego Plains, Eastern Mulga Plains, Nebin Plains and North eastern Plains subregions; Brigalow Belt bioregion (18%) largely within the Carnarvon Ranges and Southern Downs subregions; Desert Uplands bioregion (12%) largely within the Jericho and Alice Tableland subregions; Mitchell Grass Downs (4%) largely within the Southern Wooded Downs subregion; Channel Country (3%) largely within Goneaway Tablelands subregion; Einasleigh Uplands (1.3%) largely within Herberton – Wairuna subregion; Southeast Queensland (1.2%) largely within Gympie Block and Burnett - Curtis Hills and Ranges subregions; Gulf Plains (1%) largely within Claraville Plains subregion (Figure 3).  
   
   
   

Figure 3. Average annual clearing rate of remnant vegetation as a percentage of the starting year by subregion.

 

Figure 4. Remnant vegetation in 2006 as a percentage of the pre-clearing extent by subregion.

Figure 4. Remnant vegetation in 2006 as a percentage of the pre-clearing extent by subregion.

 

Bioregion and subregion analysis of remnant vegetation shows that the New England Tableland bioregion has the lowest remaining vegetation by Bioregion (33.1%). The Brigalow Belt bioregion has the second lowest (41.8%) with Tara Downs and Taroom Downs subregions having the lowest remaining subregional vegetation, 6.3% and 7.0% respectively (Figure 4). The remnant vegetation analysis MS Excel zip file is available from the download section below.

In 2005–2006, most (61.7%) remnant regional ecosystem clearing occurred on leasehold tenure, with 36.8% on freehold tenures, and 1.5% on other tenures.

 

Regional ecosystem analysis by subregion

Figure 5. The regional ecosystem with the highest rate of clearing during the 2005-2006 period is 6.7.12

Figure 5. The regional ecosystem with the highest rate of clearing during the 2005-2006 period is 6.7.12

The majority of remnant vegetation cleared during the years 2005 to 2006 was of woodland communities dominated by Acacia aneura, and/or Eucalyptus populnea and/or E. melanophloia (Figure 5). The regional ecosystem analysis MS Excel zip file is available from the download section below.

The clearing during 2005-2006 mainly occurred in the following 1:5 Million broad vegetation groups (BVG):

Download update

Comprehensive report 2008

In 2008, the Queensland Herbarium published the report Remnant Vegetation in Queensland. Analysis of remnant vegetation 1997-1999; 2000-2001; 2003-2005, including regional ecosystem information.

The 2008 report provides statistics on the extent of Queensland's remnant vegetation, and regional ecosystems for 83% of the state from 1997 to 2005.

The report is based on detailed survey and mapping. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the amount of pre-clearing and remnant vegetation in Queensland and the extent of clearing of remnant vegetation, based on individual regional ecosystems. This includes data for local government areas, catchments, natural resource management areas and Queensland electoral districts. The analysis of bioregions and subregions in this report has been updated. Data and maps are available for download (see above).

The report is available in PDF format or as a CD which includes Excel spreadsheets and other files linked to the PDF. To obtain a copy of the CD, please email the Queensland Herbarium or phone: (07) 3896 9325 or fax: (07) 3896 9624.

Last reviewed 11 April 2011
Last updated 4 October 2010

Regional ecosystem descriptions

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