Testing approaches to landscape design in cropping lands

This project evaluated currently used methods for determining where revegetation should be located in the landscape for the additional purposes of determining how much revegetation is required, and whether revegetation designed for one group of species meets the needs of other groups of species.

The project had two core components:

Component 1 looked at refining the focal species method, which identifies the species at most risk in fragmented (cleared agricultural) landscapes. It is used to identify the minimum amount of habitat required to support local populations of all resident woodland birds.

Component 2 determined whether, with increasing fragmentation, thresholds are reached beyond which existing populations of key (focal) species are less likely to persist in the long-term. This has implications for the value (biodiversity benefits) of revegetation work that increases native vegetation cover to a point beyond these thresholds.

Reports and Resources

The following reports can be provided digitally upon request by contacting staff from the landscapes arena in Land & Water Australia.

Component 1 Landscape design for bird conservation in Buntine-Marchagee Catchment, Western Australia by Andrew Huggett, Blair Parsons, Lyn Atkins and John Ingram

Component 2 Habitat neighbourhoods for conserving viable populations of birds by Lesley Brooker and Ted Lefroy

Component 3a A test of the focal species approach in Western Australia by Jeff Short and Blair Parsons

Component 3b Do birds meet the needs of other taxa in the NSW Riverina? By David Freudenberger, Geoff Barrett and Nick Nicholls

Outcomes

1. To provide an improved methodology, based on the focal species approach, to guide broadscale revegetation efforts to assist the longterm survival of biodiversity;
2. To identify thresholds of fragmentation of native vegetation beyond which existing plant and animal populations are compromised, that is, to help determine how much revegetation is required;
3. To evaluate whether a focal species methodology based on birds meets the needs of other taxa;
4. To develop guidelines and recommendations appropriate to the revegetation efforts of farmers and community groups in agricultural zones.

Publications and Resources

None listed

Citation

Land & Water Australia. 2009. Testing approaches to landscape design in cropping lands. [Online] (Updated April 28th, 2009)
Available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/3306 [Accessed Tuesday 26th of April 2011 06:34:34 AM ].