Mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Melbourne Water commissioned Practical Ecology to conduct a ‘Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition’, a methodology that establishes an environmental benchmark for a waterway so that future works can be assessed.

Information was gathered from databases, aerial photographs, topography maps, cadaste data and waterway centrelines. Ecologists with handheld GPS units conducted surveys, marking waypoints and checking aerial map information. This information was collated on GIS maps showing the size and connectivity of bushland, the extent of native vegetation cover, the extent of weed cover, the amount of regeneration and the amount of ‘debris’ (leaves, branches and logs).

Practical Ecology’s use of GIS gave Melbourne Water the information they needed to assess waterway health. Because GIS data can be easily adapted, it will continue to be a valuable resource for Melbourne Water to plan future work.

Practical Ecology were employed to do several ecological assessments for the expansion of the Royal Botanic Garden’s Australian Garden. The garden expansion would require clearing some native vegetation, an action that needed to be ‘offset’ to satisfy the council’s and DSE’s permit conditions.

Practical Ecology’s flora and flora surveys and Net Gain Analyses were presented as GIS maps, as were the zones within the study area, the site’s disturbance history, the Ecological Vegetation Classes, the survey points, the vegetation quality and conservation significance. Using GIS allowed Practical Ecology to quickly and clearly present complex ecological information.