A system for tracking the resilience of native vegetation on Defence lands

A system for tracking the resilience of native vegetation on Defence lands

Richard Thackway

Institute of Australian Geographers 2015 conference Military Geography Session

Crawford School, ANU

1-3 July 2015

Outline

• Why native vegetation extent and condition is important?• Need for a systems approach for assessing vegetation condition• Defence estate case studies at landscape and site levels

– Vegetation condition inside & outside training areas– Transformation of a site over time

• Lessons• Conclusions

Why is native

vegetation extent and condition

important?

State and Commonwealth Acts and regulations

Need for a systems approach• Assessments of the vegetation condition must treat all land tenures

equally, including DoD estates• DoD manages a diverse range of native vegetation types in varying

degrees of condition • DoD is unable to quantify changes and trends in the vegetation extent

& condition within its estate

Concepts and definitions

• Resilience = the capacity of an plant community to recover toward a reference state following a change/s in land management

• Change in condition of a plant community (type) is due to effects of land management practices on indicators of:

– Vegetation structure– Species composition – Regenerative capacity

• Transformation = changes in vegetation condition over time• Condition, resilience and transformation are assessed relative

to a fully natural Reference state

Vegetation condition(a composite index)

What effects do DOD management practices have

on the vegetation condition of defence estates over time?

Defence Estate Quality Management System (DEQMS) - Training Area SustainabilityNB: Detailed policy guidance on landscape management issues such as soil erosion, biodiversity protection, heritage management, fire and biosecurity is to be found on the DEQMS Governance Policy page. Threatening processes such as overabundant species, ferals and weed management are also covered in the specific program areas

http://www.defence.gov.au/estatemanagement/governance/Policy/TrainingAreas/EnvironmentalManagement.asp



Modification of sites and landscapes

Indigenous land management

First explorers

Grazing

Deg

ree

of

resi

lienc

e/co

nditi

on Tracked

vehicles

Site 1

Site 2

Site 3

Time

Reference state

Long term rainfall

Long term disturbance e.g. wildfire, cyclones

Revegetation

Condition classes

Weeds Ferals

2015

Fire

How do land managers modify structure, composition & function (i.e. resilience) over time?

LMP that focus on soil

LMP that focus on native vegetation

Regenerative capacity/ function

Vegetation structure & Species composition

1. Soil hydrological status2. Soil physical status3. Soil chemical status4. Soil biological status5. Fire regime6. Reproductive potential7. Overstorey structure8. Understorey structure9. Overstorey composition10. Understorey composition

LMP = Land Management Practices

Focussing on 10 key criteria

Common interventions designed to influence structure, composition & function i.e. resilience

Various interventions: Land management practices (LMP) are used to influence ecological building blocks at sites and landscapes by:

• Modifying …• Removing and replacing …• Enhancing …• Restoring …• Maintaining …• Improving …

Various purposes:Including trafficability, biodiversity conservation, water quality, minimize detection To achieve the desired mix of ecosystem services (space & time)

VAST = Vegetation Assets States and Transitions

VIVIVIIIIII0

Native vegetationcover

Non-native vegetationcover

Increasing modification caused by use and management

Transitions = trend

Vegetation thresholds

Reference for each veg type (NVIS)

A framework for assessing modification of native vegetation condition

Condition states

Residual or unmodified

Naturally bare

Modified Transformed Replaced -Adventive

Replaced - managed

Replaced - removed

Thackway & Lesslie (2008) Environmental Management, 42, 572-90

Diagnostic attributes of VAST (classes):• Vegetation structure• Species composition• Regenerative capacity

Resilience threshold

VAST-2 criteria and indicators Change & Trends

Vegetation condition

Thackway & Lesslie (2008) Environmental Management, 42, 572-90

NB: Input dataset biophysical naturalness reclassified using VAST framework

/ replaced

/ unmodified

Landscape Alteration Levels

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Intact Variegated Fragmented RelictualLandscape Alteration Level

Av

era

ge

Pro

po

rtio

n (

%)

of

VA

ST

Co

nd

itio

n S

tate

Residual*

Modified

Transformed

Managed

Removed

Condition classes

Which Defence estates to include?

Source: http://www.defence.gov.au/publications/reviews/adfposture/docs/base_map.pdf

Agro-climatic groups from: Hutchinson et al. (2005) Global Ecol. Biogeogr. 14,1-15

Coloured = Native vegetation, varying condition (VAST 0 - I)Grid = Modified vegetation (VAST II-III)Open = Native vegetation replaced (VAST V – VI)

Mediterranean

c

Cold wet

cc

cc

Tropical warm

season wet

c

cc

cc

Temperate cool season wet

Temperate sub-humid

Tropical wet

c

cc

Dry

Tropical warm-season moistSub-tropical

sub-humid

Sub-tropical moist

Context of selected training areas

Wide Bay Training Area

Greenbank Training Area

Puckapunyal Military Area

Salt Ash Air Weapons Range

Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Stony Head Training Area

Townsville Field Training Area

Canungra Field Training Area

Landscape Alteration Levels – only a snapshot

Condition States

Agro-climatic regions Military Training Area Landscape Alteration Levels(Regional scale)

Tropical warm-season moist Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) Intact / Variegated Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) Intact / Variegated

Sub-tropical moist Canungra Field Training Area (CFTA) Variegated / Fragmented

Greenbank Training Area (GBTA) Variegated / Fragmented Wide Bay Training Area (WBTA) Variegated / Fragmented Salt Ash Air Weapons Range (SaltAsh) Variegated / Fragmented

Temperate cool season wet Puckapunyal Military Area (PMA) Variegated / Fragmented

Stony Head Training Area (SHTA) Variegated / FragmentedDry -Cold wet -Mediterranean -Sub-tropical sub-humid -Tropical wet - Temperate sub-humid -

Selected training areas landscape alteration context

Wide Bay Training Area

Greenbank Training Area

Puckapunyal Military Area

Salt Ash Air Weapons Range

Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Stony Head Training Area

Townsville Field Training Area

Canungra Field Training Area

Selected Defence estates and vegetation condition

Condition classes inside and surrounding Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA), Qld

Naturally bareUnmodified

Transformed Modified

Removed & managed Removed & replaced

Native vegetation

Outside DoD areaInside DoD area

012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10203040506070

Condition classes inside and surrounding Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA)

TFTATFTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), Qld




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

102030405060708090

100

Condition classes inside and surrounding Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA)

SWBTASWBTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Wide Bay Training Area (WBTA), Qld




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

102030405060708090

Condition classes inside and surrounding Wide Bay Training Area (WBTA)

WBTAWBTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Canungra Field Training Area (CFTA), Qld




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10

20

30

40

50

60

Condition classes inside and surrounding Canungra Field Training Area (CFTA)

CFTACFTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Greenbank Training Area (GBTA), Qld




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10203040506070

Condition classes inside and surrounding Greenbank Training Area (GBTA)

GBTAGBTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Salt Ash Air Weapons Range (SaltAsh), NSW




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10203040506070

Condition classes inside and surrounding Salt Ash Air Weapons Range (SaltAsh)

SaltAshSaltAsh_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Puckapunyal Military Area (PMA), Vic




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10203040506070

Condition classes inside and surrounding Pucka-punyal Military Area (PMA)

PMAPMA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Condition classes inside and surrounding Stony Head Training Area (SHTA), Tas




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10

20

30

40

50

60

Condition classes inside and surrounding Stony Head Training Area (SHTA)

SHTASHTA_buf

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside




Native vegetation


012356

0 1 2 3 5 60

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Average condition classes inside and surrounding the eight military training areas

Average inside Military areasAverage outside buffer

Condition classes

Rela

tive

area

(per

cent

)

Inside

Outside

Average condition classes inside and outside the 8 DoD estates

What effect do DOD management practices have on native vegetation condition within particular defence

estates over time?

Generate total indices for ‘transformation site’ for each year of the historical record. Validate using Expert Knowledge

• Compile and collate effects of land management on criteria (10) and

indicators (22) over time. • Evaluate impacts on the plant

community over time

Transformation site• Compile and collate effects of

land management on criteria (10) and indicators (22)

Reference state/sites

Score all 22 indicators for ‘transformation site’ relative to the ‘reference site’. 0 = major change; 1 = no change

Derive weighted indices for the ‘transformation site’ i.e. regenerative capacity (55%), vegetation structure (27%) and species composition (18%)

by adding predefined indicators

General process for tracking change over time

Components (3)

Criteria(10)

Description of loss or gain relative to pre settlement indicator reference state (22)

Regenerative

capacity

Fire regime Change in the area /size of fire foot prints

Change in the number of fire starts

Soil hydrology Change in the soil surface water availability

Change in the ground water availability

Soil physical state

Change in the depth of the A horizon

Change in soil structure.

Soil nutrient state

Nutrient stress – rundown (deficiency) relative to soil fertility

Nutrient stress – excess (toxicity) relative to soil fertility

Soil biological state

Change in the recyclers responsible for maintaining soil porosity and nutrient recycling

Change in surface organic matter, soil crusts

Reproductive potential

Change in the reproductive potential of overstorey structuring species

Change in the reproductive potential of understorey structuring species

Vegetation structure

Overstorey structure

Change in the overstorey top height (mean) of the plant community

Change in the overstorey foliage projective cover (mean) of the plant community

Change in the overstorey structural diversity (i.e. a diversity of age classes) of the stand

Understorey structure

Change in the understorey top height (mean) of the plant community

Change in the understorey ground cover (mean) of the plant community

Change in the understorey structural diversity (i.e. a diversity of age classes) of the plant

Species Compositi

on

Overstorey composition

Change in the densities of overstorey species functional groups

Change in no.s of indigenous overstorey species relative to the number of exotic species

Understorey composition

Change in the densities of understorey species functional groups

Change in no.s of indigenous understorey species relative to the number of exotic species

1

3

10

22

Com

pone

nts

(3)

VegetationTransformation

Score (1)

Crite

ria(1

0)

VegetationStructure

(27%)

Overstorey

(3)

Understorey

(3)

SpeciesComposition

(18%)

(2)

UnderstoreyOverstorey

(2)

RegenerativeCapacity

(55%)

Fire

(2)

Reprodpotent

(2)

Soil

Hydrology

(2)

Biology

(2)

Nutrients

(2)

Structure

(2)Indicators

(22)

VAST-2 – benchmark scoring of the effects of use and management of native veg (indicators) over time

Case study using VAST-2

Belconnen Navy Transmitting Station (Canberra)

or

The Lawson Commonwealth site (BE08b)

Source: http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/5001/topstories/story3.htm

Low-frequency towers 1939-2007

Approximate year

Source: Year

LU & LMP Source: LU & LMP

Effects of land use and management on criteria and

indicators of vegetation condition

Source: Effects

1800

1840

2015

Establish a chronology of data and information of causes and effects /observed & measured responses

Pre-contact

First contact

Current year

LU = Land Use, LMP = Land Management Practices NB: Accuracy of each observation and measurement is important

Source: Google earth 2002

Photo: Sue McIntyre

Photo: Sue McIntyre

Photo: Sue McIntyre

Photo: Daily Telegraph

Belconnen Navy Transmitting Station (Canberra)

Contributions of DoD estates - looking forward

• Nationally areas that are dominated by native veg types are increasingly being managed to build resilience

• Knowing what contribution DoD estates make to Australia’s native veg account is vital

• DoD estates are a distinct and important land use which contributes e.g.– Habitats for key threatened species and communities– Major stepping stones for landscape connectivity– Provision of ecosystem services incl. biodiversity, soil, water and

carbon sequestration

Tensions and trade-offs in landscape transformations

DoD estates

What would DoD need to do to assess the condition of native vegetation on all its estates?

• Systematically record, collect and compile land management practices• Develop a capacity to assess resultant changes & trends in key veg

/ecological attributes i.e.– Structure, composition and function of the native vegetation

• Implement a system to track outcomes of adaptive management on key veg /ecological attributes

Assumptions

Changes in LU & LMP – result in measurable and predictable changes in structure, floristics

& regen capacity – can be consistently and reliably differentiated from natural events– have or can be adequately and reliably documented over time

Sequential responses in veg structure, floristics & regen capacity can be discovered, unpacked and scored over time

Ratings and weightings are ecologically meaningful

Data – information – Decision making i.e. fit for purpose

Conclusions

• Analyses using national scale condition info shows the importance DoD estates in more intensively managed and developed landscapes – DoD estates are obviously less modified and less fragmented

• DoD lacks the capacity to regularly assess/report vegetation condition within its estates : change and trend

• The lack of this data/info would hinder DoD in:– preparing development applications and gaining approvals re infrastructure

proposals– Demonstrating the actual impacts of training activities over time

• Tracking effects of land management practices on key indicators would provide evidence for improving adaptive management – at site and landscape scales

More info & Acknowledgements

More informationhttp://www.vasttransformations.com/http://portal.tern.org.au/searchhttp://aceas-data.science.uq.edu.au/portal/

Acknowledgements• University of Queensland, Department of Geography Planning and

Environmental Management for ongoing research support• Many public and private land managers, land management agencies, consultants

and researchers have assisted in the development of VAST & VAST-2• Fred Ford assisted with providing access to spatial data on the DoD estate

http://www.vasttransformations.com/

http://www.vasttransformations.com/

http://portal.tern.org.au/search

http://portal.tern.org.au/search

http://aceas-data.science.uq.edu.au/portal/

http://aceas-data.science.uq.edu.au/portal/

All is not what it seems

Military training exercise Shoalwater Bay May 2015. Damage to overstorey was caused by Tropical Cyclone Marcia in February 2015.