This inventory contains products which relate to:
- vegetation extent
- vegetation condition
- biomass
- ground cover
- native vegetation management (NVM) benefits
All datasets listed on this page are publicly available unless otherwise specified.
Alternative data access arrangements for Department staff are available on the intranet.
Vegetation extent
A number of vegetation extent product types are now available. This catalogue includes the best contemporary products representing the extent or change in extent in woody, non-woody or native vegetation; as well as older (historic) products that were used previously in significant reporting or regulation processes.
Woody vegetation extent
Dataset: Landsat woody extent and foliage projective cover (FPC) Ver 2.1 (25m) 2008 Description: The best available Landsat representation of woody vegetation extent in NSW at 2008. The data was prepared by the OEH Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program for use in the 2010 NSW Annual Report on Native Vegetation using the Queensland Statewide Land Cover And Trees Study (SLATS) methodology. |
Data overview |
Dataset: Landsat woody change data (25m) for 1988-2010 Description: Raster (grid) layers showing areas and type of woody vegetation change based on the analysis of multi-date Landsat imagery. Data are available as 572 scenes (13 biannual periods each with 44 Landsat scenes) covering NSW. Used to calculate annualised woody vegetation change rates used in the 2010 NSW Annual Report on Native Vegetation user-friendly vector geodatabase, NSW SLATS LANDSAT Woody Change Vector Database 1988-2010, has been derived from these grid layers. |
Data overview of Landsat woody change tiles |



Dataset: Landsat foliage projective cover (FPC) for each Landsat image (25m). 1988–2010 Description: Foliage projective cover (FPC) data is prepared by the Department Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program and is available for each Landsat image in the Department archive. This data is an input into time series analyses used to generate secondary products such as woody vegetation extent. Data includes over 570 scenes. |
Example of FPC tile in NSW |
Dataset: Landsat foliage projective cover (FPC) time series summary products (25m). 1988–2010 Description: Includes summary products derived from statistical analysis of a time series stack of individual date foliage projective cover (FPC) images. The products available include variables such as slope, intercept, standard deviation and standard error, as images. These products are created as an interim stage in the development of the woody extent and FPC product. |
Example of slope statistics from Landsat FPC time series summary products |
Dataset: SLATS - Woody Vegetation Change - NSW 2008-14 Description: Areas of woody vegetation change based on the analysis of multi-date SPOT5 imagery 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. Each change year has a single statewide point and polygon layer derived from approximately 310 SPOT scenes covering NSW. |
SPOT5 woody change data (5-10m). 2008-09. 2009-10 |
Dataset: NSW Woody Vegetation Extent 2011 Description: The NSW 5m Woody Extent is a state-wide binary classification of woody vegetation derived from multitemporal 5m SPOT-5 satellite imagery. The product broadly identifies isolated tree crowns as well as contiguous forest at a 5m resolution. This latest map of woody vegetation extent for NSW is the highest detailed to date. It shows the location, extent, and density of foliage cover for stands of woody vegetation in NSW for the year 2011. The resolution is good enough to identify small features such as trees in paddocks and scattered woodlands through to the largest expanse of forest in the State. |
![]() Woody extent, 2011 |
Dataset: NSW Woody Vegetation Extent & FPC 2011 The NSW Woody Vegetation Extent & FPC 2011 is a state-wide classification of woody vegetation and Foliage Projection Cover (FPC) derived from multitemporal 5m SPOT-5 satellite imagery. The product broadly identifies isolated tree crowns as well as contiguous forest at a 5m resolution and each woody pixel also contains a measure of FPC. FPC is the fraction of the ground that is obscured by green leaf, and is a measure of density. |
Woody extent & FPC, 2011 |
Dataset: Rectified and radiometrically corrected Landsat imagery. 1988–2010 Description: These are the pre-processed Landsat images prepared by the Department Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program and are used to generate all other Landsat products. They are rectified to a map projection and adjusted for the effects of the atmosphere, sun angle, view angle and topography. They could be used to generate remote sensing other products for other applications. |
Data overview |
Dataset: Rectified and radiometrically corrected SPOT5 imagery. 2008–2010 Description: These are the pre-processed SPOT5 images prepared by the Department Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program and are used to generate all other SPOT5 products. They are rectified to a map projection and adjusted for the effects of the atmosphere, sun angle, view angle and topography. They could be used to generate remote sensing other products for other applications. |
Example of SPOT5 tile in NSW |
Non-woody vegetation extent
Dataset: NSW Native Vegetation Extent. MODIS/FPC. 2008 Description: This is a prototype product which was prepared for a Natural Resource Advisory Council (NRAC) Grassland Project. It includes a classification of native non-woody vegetation, including candidate native grassland (derived from MODIS time series), which has been combined with native woody extent, derived from an early version of the Landsat Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) data. This product has not been validated, but may be useful for landscape connectivity studies and for indications of potential native grassland distribution. |
Data overview |
Native vegetation extent
Dataset: NSW Interim Native Vegetation Extent. Version 2 2008 Description: This product includes an early version of the Landsat Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) data, combined with a classification of vegetation nativeness derived from land use data. This dataset was used in the 2008 Nation Land and Water Resources Audit and as input to State of the Catchments Reports. |
Data overview |
Dataset: NSW State of the Catchments 2008 Native Vegetation Extent Description: This dataset used the NSW Interim Native Vegetation Extent Version 2 2008 dataset as an input, combining it with NSW Total Extant Native Vegetation (Keith and Simpson 2006) Version 002 to better reflect intact vegetation structurally. |
Data overview |
Dataset: NSW State of the Catchments 2008 Native Woody/Non-woody Vegetation Extent Description: The extent of native woody and non-woody vegetation was derived by combining and intersecting the three layers produced by the NSW Interim Native Vegetation Extent Version 2 (2008). |
Data overview
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Dataset: NSW Total Extant Native Vegetation (Keith and Simpson 2006) - Version 002 Description: An estimate of total vegetation extent derived from compiled vegetation type maps. Not recommended for extent reporting. This dataset was used to develop 2006 Biometric over-cleared landscape values. |
Data overview |
Dataset: NSW Extant Woody Native Vegetation (Keith and Simpson 2006) - Version 002 Description: An estimate of total vegetation extent derived from compiled vegetation type maps. Not recommended for extent reporting. |
Data overview |
Vegetation condition
Dataset: NSW State of the Catchments 2008: Native Vegetation Description: Condition and pressure layer prepared for 2010 State of the Catchments Reports.
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Data overview |
Biomass
Dataset: ALOS Woody biomass (50m) 2009 Description: Raster representing the above ground woody biomass as 50m resolution prepared by the Department Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program. It is derived from radar imagery from the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) instrument on the Japanese Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS) |
Sample ALOS Woody biomass (50m) 2009 |
Ground cover
Dataset: Landsat ground cover index (25m). 1988-2010 Description: A Landsat ground cover (FPC) image is prepared by the Department Statewide Satellite Landscape Monitoring Program and is available for each Landsat image in the Department archive. They are based on a calibrated relationship between field measurement and the imagery and the single date Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) images. The data is generally used in a time-series analysis for monitoring trends in ground cover over time. Catchment management authorities may be interested in using these products for monitoring ground cover targets. |
Sample Landsat ground cover index (25m). 1988-2010 |
Native vegetation management (NVM) benefits
A series of spatial analyses were undertaken to predict where native vegetation management will contribute the highest benefit to terrestrial biodiversity at a statewide scale. The analyses focus on improving the condition, extent and connectivity of vegetation formations in NSW. They were designed to inform investment in native vegetation management in NSW through mechanisms such as the catchment action plan upgrades, public land management planning, local government investment and private land conservation funding and investment.
NVM manage benefits
Dataset: NVM manage benefits Description: 'Manage' benefits identify areas of existing native vegetation in good condition where emphasis on management would be on maintaining this high condition. These benefits were developed through the application of the terrestrial Biodiversity Forecasting Tool (BFT). |
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NVM improve benefits
Dataset: NVM improve benefits Description: 'Improve' benefits also relate to areas of existing native vegetation, and while these are generally the best examples of more heavily altered vegetation types, they nonetheless require some form of active management to improve their condition. These benefits were developed through application of the terrestrial Biodiversity Forecasting Tool (BFT). |
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NVM landscape value (consolidate) benefits
Dataset: NVM landscape value (consolidate) benefits Description: 'Consolidate' benefits highlight areas where conservation of existing vegetation, condition improvement of degraded vegetation, or rehabilitation of cleared areas are most likely to contribute to maintaining and enhancing connectivity across a region. Consolidate benefits were developed using landscape values analysis techniques. |
![]() Data overview |
NVM revegetate benefits
Dataset: NVM revegetate benefits Description: 'Revegetate' benefits highlight cleared areas where replanting or natural regeneration of species that previously occurred on the site would return the highest benefit. The aim is to increase the area of vegetation types which have been most heavily cleared. A large proportion of these areas occur on productive agricultural lands. As such, only a small proportion will be revegetated, particularly where they contribute to farm productivity. These benefits were developed through application of the terrestrial Biodiversity Forecasting Tool (BFT). |
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