2016-12-12 General Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 6 - Biodiversity Assessment Report

                                                Noosa Biodiversity Plan – Biodiversity Assessment Report




Appendix F Biodiversity values mapping methodology
This appendix provides further details of the methodology used to develop the mapping products and spatial analyses discussed in the main body of this report.
The foundation of the approach was to develop a composite vegetation community map that integrated current RE Mapping and fine-scale vegetation mapping
previously commissioned by Noosa Shire Council. This composite mapping provided a base for attribution of scored values representative of different
biodiversity values and conservation significance. The specific method used to compile and refine this layer is described in the following section.

Compilation and Refinement of Composite Vegetation Mapping

Two complimentary vegetation mapping sources were integrated for analysis, Regional Ecosytem (RE) mapping (RE v9, Queensland Herbarium 2015) and
Fine-Scale Vegetation Mapping commissioned by Noosa Council (FSV mapping). Previously the Noosa FSV product integrated earlier RE mapping (RE v.6)
with analysis to accurately map the boundaries of remnant vegetation patches, vegetation contiguous with remnant vegetation, and patches of scattered trees.

The ‘contiguous’ vegetation class within the Noosa FSV product represents vegetation with remnant-like quality located immediately adjacent to designated
remnant vegetation. Such areas may be of interest, in a planning sense, as part of potential biodiversity corridors, as impact buffers, or as species habitat.
Areas designated as ‘Other (Scattered) trees’ within the FSV product represent smaller patches of potentially native vegetation not immediately adjacent to
remnant vegetation.

The ‘contiguous’ and ‘other trees’ designations within the Noosa FSV dataset did not include details of vegetation type or other community details. This
information was linked to the relevant polygons using the latest RE pre-clearing dataset (version 9.0). Subsequent analysis of both remnant (RE) and
contiguous (FSV) datasets was undertaken using a combination of Lidar data and aerial photograph interpretation (API) to identify recently cleared land,
undetected contiguous vegetation, and to improve the assignment of community type within mixed RE polygons (demosaic).

The first objective of vegetation mapping refinement was to enhance the accuracy of vegetation delineation by detecting areas of cleared vegetation currently
assigned as remnant or contiguous, or to detect the presence of vegetation with potential biodiversity value. Lidar data involves a detailed array of spot heights
of features on the ground surface, and the ground surface itself. Using recent Lidar we developed a GIS model (raster) of the height of surface features above
the ground. Low values within this model reflected cleared areas or low vegetation and higher values reflected the presence of tall features, such as trees.
We used classification of points inherent within the data to remove points designated as ‘buildings’ and set a height threshold of 10m to identify the presence
of significant woody vegetation. GIS polygons were extracted where the presence of vegetation was not in agreement with vegetation mapping products.
Polygons greater than 5 ha were checked through API and assessed as to the presence and value of vegetation. Designations included cleared areas, exotic
vegetation, horticulture, plantations, or vegetation with quality consistent with contiguous vegetation in the fine-scale mapping product. Attribution of community


  © ECO LOGICAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD                                                                       133