Attachment 3 - Regional Ecosystem Assessment

                                                                                       Native Foresters



Sheets required for change in remnant status-

    •        Summary of Assessment Area: (Sheet A) location of the site and the person
             making the assessment, a list of the imagery used to assess the area as well
             as a concise summary of conclusions reached preferably linked to an image:
             for example, “Areas A and B: remnant to non-remnant; Area C: RE code
             change”.
    •        Summary of Assessment Method: (Sheet B) Assessment survey
             method/details and a brief outline of the rationale and method of survey to
             establish the validity of the assessment and includes details of clearing history
             and survey method used to assess the area.
    •        Vegetation Structure Site: (Sheet C) is used to record information about the
             vegetation structure (growth form, height, and cover) of the EDL, for use in the
             verification of the remnant status of the vegetation. The data recorded on this
             part of Sheet C for a disturbed site can be compared to that recorded on the
             Reference site data in order to determine remnant status. (50/70% rule and
             Characteristic Species).
    •        Reference Site: (Sheet E) completed for reference sites that are required when
             quantitative comparison of species, height, and cover of an assessment area
             to the normal height and cover of the vegetation is required. (Sheet C normal
             height and cover measurements are determined by comparing the assessment
             to a reference site) DES, 2022).

Vegetation structure is measured following the ‘Methodology for surveying and mapping
regional ecosystems and vegetation communities in Queensland’ (Neldner et al. 2022).

The guideline states that:

         The predominant canopy or ecologically dominant layer (EDL) is defined as the
         stratum of the vegetation which contains the most above ground biomass. The
         EDL can be defined in terms of growth form, height, cover density and species.

         For existing vegetation to be remnant, the EDL of the existing vegetation is to:
            (a) cover more than 50% of the normal EDL; and
            (b) average more than 70% of the mean height of the normal EDL; and
            (c) be made up of species characteristic of the normal EDL. (DES, 2022)




Regional Ecosystem Assessment – Noosa Council Offset Site – Lake Macdonald Catchment                  11