We have completed an inventory of wetlands in the Lachlan Valley, New South Wales, as a pilot study. The aim was to develop and test a method to automate mapping and classification of wetlands which could be used to develop a statewide wetland inventory.
The method has now been verified and is ready to be deployed to build a NSW Wetland Inventory. An inventory would improve the way wetlands are monitored and managed, and make high-quality data and information available to everyone.
Results of the pilot study
The pilot study resulted in the creation of the Lachlan Wetland Inventory. In this work we:
- developed and tested a method for mapping the location and extent of wetlands
- successfully identified and mapped the extent and type of wetlands across the Lachlan River catchment
- developed guidelines to consistently map and classify wetlands
- created a roadmap for building a statewide wetland inventory
- enabled the public to access wetland information.
Benefits
A NSW Wetland Inventory would enable:
- decisions about wetland management to be based on clear evidence
- users to find accurate wetland information quickly and easily
- wetland information (including mapping and classification) to be created, maintained and stored in a standard way
- monitoring and reporting on wetlands to be simpler and clearer.
Background
Up to now, data and information on wetlands in New South Wales have not been collected and stored in a systematic way. This has led to gaps in knowledge about the location, extent and type of wetlands across New South Wales, and means it is difficult for wetland managers and scientists to make decisions based on rigorous evidence.
For example, managers can’t easily compare information collected at one wetland with information from another wetland, or they may have no information for some wetlands.
Similarly, scientists can’t easily select wetlands for sampling and monitoring if they don't know where the wetlands are located or what wetland types exist in their study area.
This limits their ability to study ecosystem processes, the impact of land use and management practices, and potential impacts of climate change.
Get involved
Do you need wetland data and information on NSW wetlands at a state or regional scale?
Please contact us so we can find out what your needs are by phone 1300 361 967 or email [email protected].