Vegetation Information System: Flora Survey
The Vegetation Information System (VIS) Flora Survey database is a central, authoritative database for systematic vegetation survey data in NSW. It is compatible with standard vegetation survey methodologies (including field survey data sheets) outlined in the NSW Native Vegetation Interim Type Standards (10060nvinttypestand.pdf, 1.6MB)
The Type Standards and database accommodate a range of data types from various surveys, including:
full floristic survey data associated with vegetation classification and mapping
rapid survey sites associated with field validation and vegetation type mapping
land-use data associated with the Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Program (MER) Vegetation Condition site assessment.
The existing VIS Flora Survey database (YETI 3.2) has been redeveloped as a module of the Atlas of NSW Wildlife. This redevelopment is occurring in two phases. Phase 1 provides read-only access to flora survey data in NSW, including approximately 50,000 individual survey sites. Phase 2, when released later in 2012, will allow users to contribute, analyse and export data online. There is no login required to access the read-only VIS Flora Survey, which is available through OEH's NSW BioNet website.
Transitioning from YETI 3.2 to VIS Flora Survey
YETI 3.2 users should continue to use their existing arrangements for entering and querying flora survey data until the roll-out of Phase 2 of the Atlas of NSW Wildlife. If you do not have access to the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) network, you may request copies of the standalone YETI 3.2 MS Access installation files and data from vis@environment.nsw.gov.au. Once the VIS Flora Survey (Phase 2) application is in place, you will be contacted and invited to migrate across to the new system as an online user. Temporary assistance will be provided to help you migrate data from your YETI 3.2 MS Access database to the new system, after which time YETI 3.2 and earlier versions will no longer be supported.
OEH employees are currently required to use the centralised SQL YETI 3.2 application available on the OEH network. Contact vis@environment.nsw.gov.au for further advice on accessing this application. You will be notified and automatically migrated to the new Phase 2 system when it is fully operational.
For assistance in using the database, please consult the YETI 3.2 User Manual (YETI325UserManual18082010.pdf, 4MB).
Further advice and updates will be provided on this webpage as they become available.
Frequently asked questions about YETI 3.2
What changed between YETI 3.1 and 3.2?
The changes made to the application are described in:
I am an OEH employee with access to the OEH Network. How does this affect me?
As of 30 November 2009, all YETI data were moved to an SQL server. All OEH staff are required to use the corporate SQL version rather than the standalone MS Access version. Instructions for SQL compatible installation are in the YETI Vegetation Survey Database, Installation Notes (DatabaseInstallationDECCWSQL.pdf, 131kb).
I don't have access to the SQL Server version of YETI on the OEH network. Does this affect me?
Yes. Your MS Access back-end will continue to work as before. However, if you wish to share data with the OEH corporate repository of YETI data you will need to upgrade to YETI 3.2. New back-end files and a set of instructions are contained in installation files available from the VIS administrator for use with the new client.
History of YETI
YETI was originally developed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as a Microsoft Access database designed to enter, query and massage data from plot-based vegetation surveys into data formats required for use in analysis software packages such as PATN (Text archive format), R or S-Plus, Primer, PC-ORD and CANOCO (Condensed Cornell format). This functionality is supported in all subsequent versions.
In 2007, as a first step in centralising the management and access to vegetation survey data a centralised SQL database was established within OEH. The MS Access front-end application was retained with additional functionality, including the ability to choose between back-end files stored in MS Access or the SQL Server. This allowed OEH users to access YETI as a centralised database, while external users continued to use the standalone MS Access version. Progressively, standalone versions have been harvested into the centralised database so it now holds more than 50,000 vegetation plot records.
In 2009, YETI was modified to align with new field survey protocols (and field survey sheets) documented in the NSW Native Vegetation Interim Type Standards. A modular field survey approach was introduced which included, for the first time, a vegetation condition survey protocol developed for the Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Program (MER) for vegetation condition.
More information
For further advice please contact the VIS Administrator at: vis@environment.nsw.gov.au
Page last updated: 02 March 2012
