Dataset Number 898 Dataset Title Native Vegetation Floristic Areas - NVIS - Statewide (Incomplete Version) Custodian Data Authority: Department for Environment and Water Data Provider: Department for Environment and Water

Description Description This dataset represents the State Government's key extant native floristic vegetation mapping layer for SA. It provides floristic and structural information (referred to as vegetation types), and/or presence of native vegetation in South Australia. The data set includes floristic vegetation mapping datasets produced as part of the Biological Survey of SA program. This mapping is based on extrapolation of point based sampling and interpretation of imagery (aerial photography and/or satellite imagery). The descriptions for the vegetation types are stored in a textual database, the South Australian Vegetation Information System Database (SAVEG) and available as a separate table (VEG_SAVegetation_LUT). The SAVEG database uses the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) Framework. Usage This dataset is used to provide information on native floristic and structural vegetation mapping for SA. It should not be assumed that this dataset represents all extant native vegetation present in the State due to the limitations of the mapping methodology. For the purposes of this mapping the term native vegetation can include areas of remnant native vegetation along with areas of native regeneration that are present on the imagery at the time of mapping. Planted vegetation is generally not included in the mapping, however this can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from the surrounding native vegetation without further field inspection. Sources of error can occur in the extrapolation process and in the interpretation of the imagery. While some field checking is undertaken, it is not feasible to field check all mapping. This dataset has been translated into the NVIS vegetation attribute framework Version 6.0 (ESCAVI 2003), enabling integration with national projects.

Data Quality Lineage Native vegetation data has been captured using several data capture techniques, scales, sensitivities and using plant species information collected from different survey years. Generally the extent of native vegetation cover is mapped first based on the selected source imagery and field based vegetation survey information. The vegetation cover extent mapping is then edited to capture different vegetation types (floristic and structural differences) based on vegetation tones and textures interpreted by the individual vegetation mapper. Some contemporary veg mapping in the arid regions is based on the classification of Landsat imagery. The final vegetation types are recorded as coded mapping groups as polygon attributes. Pre-2004, floristic vegetation mapping for SA was undertaken on a region by region basis as a series of vegetation mapping projects with GIS outputs maintained as individual region-based datasets. However, since 2004, the region-based mapping has been consolidated into a single State-wide dataset. To implement this, all region-based SA floristic vegetation mapping layers were combined using a GIS 'update' technique. This process took the coarsest mapping first and progressively updated to the least coarse last to provide a single SA dataset. Region-based layers were added in the following order: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands, Nullarbor, Yellabinna, Yumbarra, Unnamed, Stony Desert, Tallaringa, North Olary, South Olary, Flinders, Coongie Lakes, Gawler Ranges, Northern Eyre, Mid North, Murray Mallee, Western Murray Flats, Southern Mount Lofty, Yorke Peninsula, South East, Kangaroo Island, Offshore Islands. No additional linework or attribute edge-matching was undertaken along boundaries as the datasets were brought together. Since 2004 new mapping has been captured directly into the State-wide layer, inc: Sandy & Pedirka Deserts, Mt Willoughby, River Murray Floodplain, Gawler Craton, Great Victoria Desert, Nullarbor, Far West EP, Cooper-Eromanga Basin. Completeness Dataset is incomplete for the State in particular the Finke region, northern areas of the Gawler Craton, northern areas of the Mid-North and north-eastern Eyre Peninsula. The final dataset will be a complete State-wide layer indicating presence and type of native vegetation (no date has been established for dataset completion). Some types of native vegetation based on interpretation of imagery are difficult to observe. Hence these types of vegetation may be under-represented. For example there is some difficulty in interpreting presence/extent of native grasslands and low shrublands. Some narrow linear vegetation such as roadsides or creek lines may also have been missed. In the arid region of SA where no floristic mapping has been completed, assumed native vegetation cover has been added, excluding salt lakes greater than 50 hectares (salt lakes were defined from the Geoscience Australia's 1:250,000 water bodies layer, current to 2000). In the agricultural region vegetation is generally mapped to a minimum mapping unit of 1 hectare in size. Vegetation mapping polygons that have not been mapped with vegetation types (native vegetation cover only) will have NULL values for the SA_VEG_ID fields. Native vegetation mapping is generally based on the dominant overstorey distinguishable from the imagery. As a result the understorey may vary in floristic composition to what is described or in its condition (quality). In terms of condition, the understorey may vary from relatively pristine to moderately degraded to predominantly replaced by introduced plant species. In the agricultural region, there are some cases where areas of (high and medium density) scattered trees may have been mapped. Positional Accuracy The positional accuracy is dependent on the original source of the imagery and the capture process and, where applicable, artefacts of the imagery's rectification. This information is stored as attributes on the spatial data at the individual polygon level. All vegetation type boundaries represent an arbitrary line that is based on a subjective assessment of the best information available at the time of mapping. PLEASE NOTE: the vegetation mapping should not be used at scales beyond which it was captured and this scale is recorded against each polygon feature in the vegetation mapping data attribute table, refer to attributes in the 'MINSCALE' field of the polygon dataset.

Geographic Extent Extent Name South Australia Min Easting or Longitude 129 Min Northing or Latitude -38.25 Max Easting or Longitude 141 Max Northing or Latitude -26

Dataset Status Initially Acquired 30-JUN-2000 Last Updated 09-AUG-2018 Update Frequency As required Maintenance Method The layer is updated as new mapping projects are completed or when current mapping is significantly updated. Edge-matching between original mapping regions is done when time permits. AusGOAL CC BY (Attribution)

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Contact Information Organisation Department for Environment and Water Science Monitoring and Knowledge Postal Address GPO Box 1047 ADELAIDE 5001 Email DEWNR.CustomerServiceCentre@sa.gov.au