Ecological Assessment Report

Regional Ecosystems (3SP246584)                                                                            30/03/2016 16:40:34




BVGs are a higher-level grouping of vegetation communities. Queensland encompasses a wide variety of landscapes across
temperate, wet and dry tropics and semi-arid climatic zones. BVGs provide an overview of vegetation communities across the
state or a bioregion and allow comparison with other states. There are three levels of BVGs which reflect the approximate
scale at which they are designed to be used: the 1:5,000,000 (national), 1:2,000,000 (state) and 1:1,000,000 (regional).
A comprehensive description of BVGs is available at:
https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/vegetation-qld/resource/921fa786-e6d5-4a8a-9b0c-e532d2ce3f32

The following table provides a description of the 1:1,000,000 BVGs present and their associated extent within the AOI.

Table 6: Broad vegetation groups (1 million) within the AOI


 BVG (1 Million)         Description                                                    Area (Ha)             % of AOI
 None                    None                                                                          31.6                  99.5
 8a                      Wet tall open forest dominated by species such as                              0.2                      0.5
                         Eucalyptus grandis (flooded gum) or E. saligna, E.
                         resinifera (red mahogany), Lophostemon confertus (brush
                         box), Syncarpia glomulifera (turpentine), E. laevopinea
                         (silvertop stringybark). Contains a well developed
                         understorey of rainforest components, including ferns and
                         palms, or the understorey may be dominated by
                         sclerophyll shrubs. (land zones 12, 8, 10, 11, 3, 5, 9)
                         (SEQ, WET, BRB, CQC, [NET])

Refer to Map 4 for further information. Map 5 also provides a representation of the distribution of vegetation communities as
per the 1:5,000,000 BVG believed to be present prior to European settlement.

4. Technical and BioCondition Benchmark Descriptions
Technical descriptions provide a detailed description of the full range in structure and floristic composition of regional
ecosystems (e.g. 11.3.1) and their component vegetation communities (e.g. 11.3.1a, 11.3.1b). See:
http://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/plants/ecosystems/technical-descriptions/

The descriptions are compiled using site survey data from the Queensland Herbarium's CORVEG database. Distribution
maps, representative images (if available) and the pre-clearing and remnant area (hectares) of each vegetation community
derived from the regional ecosystem mapping (spatial) data are included. The technical descriptions should be used in
conjunction with the fields from the regional ecosystem description database (REDD) for a full description of the regional
ecosystem.

Quantitative site data from relatively undisturbed sites are extracted from CORVEG and summarized to provide information
specific to each vegetation community.

Technical descriptions include the attributes: tree canopy height and cover and native plant species composition of the
predominant layer, which are used to assess the remnant status of vegetation under the Vegetation Management Act 1999.

However, as technical descriptions reflect the full range in structure and floristic composition across the climatic, natural
disturbance and geographic range of the regional ecosystem, local reference sites should be used where possible (Neldner et
al. 2012 (PDF)* section 3.3.1 of:
http://www.qld.gov.au/environment/assets/documents/plants-animals/herbarium/herbarium-mapping-methodology.pdf

The technical descriptions are subject to review and are updated as additional data becomes available.

When conducting a BioCondition assessment, these technical descriptions should be used in conjunction with BioCondition
benchmarks for the specific regional ecosystem, or component vegetation community.
http://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/biodiversity/benchmarks/

Benchmarks are subject to review based on additional data and expert opinion. Benchmarks are based on a combination of
quantitative and qualitative information and should be used as a guide only. Benchmarks are specific to one regional
ecosystem vegetation community, however, the natural variability in structure and floristic composition under a range of

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