The ACT Vegetation Map 2023 classifies native and derived vegetation across the ACT at 1:10,000 scale into 64 plant communities. Vegetation communities are geographical units with similar association of plant species. The product also includes canopy cover and height variables based on 2015 ACT LiDAR data. Vegetation maps are important tools for characterising the landscape, informing policy and providing information for land and habitat management plans, including to help identify threats and risks to biodiversity and help prioritise protection of important ecological values in our landscape. This 2023 map is an update of the ACT Vegetation Map 2018. Updates have been made to the urban fringe only where development has occurred, or knowledge has increased due to field inspection.

This product will enable evidence-based decision-making at a broad regional, local and property planning scale in the ACT. It will also formulate a new baseline for future change detection in the landscape.

Method: In the ACT Vegetation Map, native and derived vegetation across the entire ACT was classified into 64 plant communities using the classification described by Armstrong et al 2013, in addition to three newly described ACT specific communities (Baines et al 2013). Mapping was completed using aerial imagery and stereo pair interpretation (2012-2015), extensive field work, collation of consultant reports and supplemental structural and canopy height datasets extracted from the 2015 ACT LiDAR capture at 1-5m grid resolution (van Dijk et al 2017 - in draft). The work expands on the vegetation mapping completed for the Kowen, Majura and Jerrabomberra districts of the ACT (Baines et al 2013). The 2023 update used visual desktop inspection and manual vectorization of 2023 <10cm aerial imagery of Canberra and ACTGOV Cadastral information to update the urban fringe area where development has occurred.

The product includes the following attributes :

• umcID – Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment vegetation ID (unique vegetation code)(after Armstrong et al 2013)
• vegCommunity – vegetation community name (after Armstrong et al 2013 and Baines et al 2013)
• tecACT - listing name of the ACT threatened ecological community (may require field inspection to verify)
• tecEPBC - listing name of the EPBC threatened ecological community (may require field inspection to verify)
• tecID - ID of ACT threatened ecological community
• actConservationStatus - listing status of the vegetation community under the Nature Conservation Act
• epbcConservationStatus - listing status of the vegetation community under the EPBC Act
• pctCode - ACT plant community type code
• treesp1-3 – dominant tree species
• shrubsp1-3 – dominant shrub species
• groundsp1-3 – dominant ground cover species
• canopyCover – canopy cover % (based on 1m 2020 LiDAR canopy cover model)
• height_mean canopy height (>3m) (based on 1m 2020 LiDAR canopy height model)
• underCover – understory/shrub cover % (1-3m) (based on 1m 2020 LiDAR shrub model)
• structure – overall vegetation community structure – e.g. woodland, forest, grassland
• formation – Keith Formation - broad classification of native vegetation type in NSW and ACT. Formation can be further divided into Keith Class (Keith 2004)
• class – Keith Class- vegetation class (Keith 2004).
• hectares - area of polygon unit in hectares.
• lastVegCommunity - community as it was last mapped (ACT Veg Map 2018)
• landscape - upland or lowland
• grassyStructure - whether the community is associated with a grass woodland, derived (other) or grassland community in its reference state e.g. secondary grassland associated with box gum woodland, exotic grassland that occurs within the original temperate grasslands.
  

This product should be used in conjunction with ACT Soil Landscapes, Hydrogeology and Land hazard mapping available on ACTMapi, geological mapping provided by Geoscience Australia, and ACT derived LiDAR products including digital elevation model (DEM), slope and aspect (available CCBY 4.0).

Updates: The product will be updated as required when new information is available to improve accuracy of the product and to reflect changes and disturbance to vegetation, especially in the urban environment. Please see ACT Vegetation Map 2023+ for updates to urban expansion. Updates planned every 1-2 years.

Fit for purpose: Mapped at 1:10,000. This scale is for use at scales ranging from broad regional planning to local planning and property planning.

COORDINATE SYSTEM: GDA_2020_MGA_Zone_55

References:

Armstrong et al (2013). Plant communities of the upper Murrumbidgee catchment in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Cunninghamia13(1): 125-265 (2013).

Baines et al (2013). The vegetation of the Kowen, Majura and Jerrabomberra Districts of the Australian Capital Territory. Technical Report 28 prepared for Conservation Planning and Research, ACT Government.

van Dijk (2017). Landscape Observatory. TERN & Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University 2017.

Keith (2004). Ocean Shores to Desert Dunes. The Native Vegetation of the New South Wales and the ACT. NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.