About us

Native Vegetation Information Strategy 2014-2018

The availability of accurate, consistent and relevant native vegetation information is an essential component of conservation, planning and regulation of native vegetation and plant communities across NSW. This is even more important with the NSW Government adopting the recommendations in the final report of the Independent Biodiversity Legislative Review Panel .

What does the strategy aim to achieve?

The overall purpose of the strategy is to enable better conservation, planning and regulation through easy access to consistent, relevant and scientifically robust native vegetation information.

Some specific actions within  the strategy include:

  • Updating and supporting standards for capturing and managing vegetation data
  • Making native vegetation data and tools more useful and accessible
  • Improving the reliability of the NSW Plant Community Type Classification
  • Delivering improved vegetation and related maps across NSW at a range of scales
  • Supporting better land management decisions and the NSW Government’s Biodiversity Reforms through improved native vegetation information.

What does the strategy mean for information users and providers?

The strategy will ensure that our data users are better able to find  the most up-to-date and relevant information for their needs.  To achieve this, all our data needs to be more standardised and integrated as well as having better information about how data was created. This will help  users understand  the quality and reliability of the data or derived products and  lead to better and more evidence-based decision making.

 Data providers will have more useable and practical tools and procedures to ensure their data conforms to the appropriate standards and can be easily incorporated into our data repositories.  They will have  greater confidence that their information will be safeguarded, can be easily retrieved and updated  and also will be used appropriately.   

To achieve the highest possible standards of scientific rigour  for  our vegetation information,  we are being guided and supported by a group of eminent scientists and researchers called the  Vegetation Information & Mapping External Scientific Advisory Committee , who provide quality-assured scientific advice and peer review to OEH about mapping, survey and classification and  remote sensing  procedures.

Stay informed

Keep an eye out for our Native vegetation information page where you can join our mailing list and also find up-to-date information on our progress or you can simply email the team at vegetation.info@environment.nsw.gov.au.

Page last updated: 10 December 2020