Presentation given to a workshop on “Developing a strategic revegetation and restoration recovery plan for the Brigalow. University of Queensland, Brisbane 14-15 May 2012.

1. Towards a strategic revegetation & restoration recovery plan for the Brigalow
VAST - Tracking effects of land management
on veg condition over time at sites
Richard Thackway
UQ
UQ, Brisbane 14-15 May 2012
Workshop to promote Brigalow recovery plan

2. VAST (Vegetation States Assets and Transitions )
VIVIVIIIIII0
Native vegetation
cover
Non-native vegetation
cover
Increasing vegetation modification
Transitions = trend
Vegetation
thresholds
Reference
for each veg
type (NVIS)
Condition states
ResidualNaturally
bare
Modified Transformed Replaced -
Adventive
Replaced -
managed
Replaced -
removed
Thackway & Lesslie (2008)
Environmental Management, 42, 572-90
Diagnostic attributes of states/ classes :
• Vegetation structure
• Species composition
• Regenerative capacity
NVIS

3. Thackway & Lesslie (2008)
Environmental Management, 42, 572-90
VAST provides a site score
of the condition of a native
vegetation community
2009

4. • Land managers modify veg condition at the site level over time
using management practices by operating on
– Vegetation structure
– Species composition
– Regenerative capacity (ecological function)
to gain multiple benefits (ecosystem services) - public & private
• Arguably for most of the Brigalow bioregion much of this
information is readily available

5. Regulation of hydrological
regime
Generation of food and fibre
Regulation of climate /
microclimate
Generation of raw materials
Recycling of organic matter
Creating and regulating
habitats
Controlling reproduction and
dispersal

6. Modification
Fragmentation
Intact
>90%
Variegated
60-90% retained
Fragmented
10-60% retained
Relictual
<10% retained
Native
Unmodified
Modified and retained
Highly modified
Destroyed
VAST I Residual
VAST 0 Naturally Bare
VAST II Modified
VAST III Transformed
VAST IV Replaced – Adventive,
VAST V Replaced – Managed
VAST VI Removed
Time
Site
level
Landscape
level

7. Vegetation
variable
Settlement
Source: Adamson and Fox (1982).
Years
10000
Reference
Occupation
Relaxation
Anthropogenic
change
Net impact
Modification
score
Reference
Years
0 100
Source: Hamilton, Brown &
Nolan (2008).

8. 1
3
10
22
VAST
Diagnostic
attributes
Vegetation
Structure
Species
Composition
VASTTRANS
Score / year
Attribute
groups
Regenerative
Capacity
Overstorey
(3)
Understorey
(3) (2)
UnderstoreyOverstorey
(2)
Fire
(2)
Reprod
potent
(2)
Soil
Hydrology
(2)
Biology
(2)
Chemistry
(2)
Structure
(2) Indicators

9. Approximate
year
Source:
Year
LU & LMP Source:
LU & LMP
Effects of use and
management on vegetation
condition and ecological
function
Source:
Effects
1800
1840
2010
Pre-contact
First contact
Current year
LU = Land Use, LMP = Land Management Practices

10. LU = Land Use, LMP = Land Management Practices
VAST Diagnostic attributes
Time

11. Score
VAST
Diagnostic
attributes
Attribute
groups
Departure from pre-European state assessed using 22 VASTTRANS
indicators of vegetation condition
VegetationTransformationscore
(100%)
Change in key
abiotic and
physicochemical
processes
affecting
REGENERATIVE
CAPACITY
(Function)
Fire regime
1. Burnt area - (e.g. smaller to larger mosaics)
2. Number of fire starts – (e.g. higher or lower fire frequency)
Hydrological
state
3. Reduction or modification of surface water (e.g. more run-off, floodplain drains)
4. Reduction or modification of ground water (e.g. rising water table, irrigation)
Soil physical
state
5. Reduction or modification to the depth of A horizon (e.g. erosion or deposition)
6. Reduction or modification of natural soil structure (e.g. compaction, cultivation)
Soil chemical
state
7. Run down of natural soil fertility
8. Excess soil nutrients including trace elements
Soil biological
state
9. Reduction or modification of organic recyclers (invertebrate and native mammals)
10. Reduction or modification of locally indigenous surface organic matter, soil crusts
Reproductive
potential
11. Reduction or modification of overstorey structuring species (e.g. viable of seed)
12. Reduction or modification of understorey structuring species (e.g. seed & vegetative)
Change in
VEGETATION
STRUCTURE
Overstorey
structure
13. Reduction or modification of mean top height
14. Reduction or modification of mean foliage projective cover
15. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes
Understorey
structure
16. Reduction or modification of mean top height
17. Reduction or modification of ground cover
18. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes
Change in dominant
structuring species
affecting
SPECIES
COMPOSITION
Overstorey
composition
19. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. invasive native species,
firewood vs non-firewood, millable vs non-millable, fodder vs non-fodder
20. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)
Understorey
composition
21. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. woody vs non-woody,
invasive native species, palatable vs non-palatable
22. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

12. Cropping
Shepherds
light
grazing
Permanent
fences, continuous
stocking, high sheep
numbers
Prickly
pear
Ringbarking
and burning
Brigalow
‘pulled’, burnt
and blade
ploughed

13. Light
grazing
Permanent fences,
continuous stocking,
high sheep numbers
Prickly
pear
Prickly
pear
removed
Brigalow
‘pulled’
and burnt
Brigalow
regrowth
Patch of Brigalow
retained as
unfenced shelter
belt

14. http://aceas.org.au/portal/

15. http://aceas.org.au/portal/

16. Transformationscore
Years
1800
2012
Reference
Modified
Transformed
Replaced/
managed
Residual
Replaced
/adventive
VAST Classes
1850 19501900 2000 2050 2100

17. Score
VAST
Diagnostic
attributes
Attribute
groups
Departure from pre-European state assessed using 22 VEG-TRANS
indicators of vegetation condition
VegetationTransformationscore
(100%)
Change in key
abiotic and
physicochemical
processes
affecting
REGENERATIVE
CAPACITY
(Function)
Fire regime
1. Burnt area - (e.g. smaller to larger mosaics)
2. Number of fire starts – (e.g. higher or lower fire frequency)
Hydrological
state
3. Reduction or modification of surface water (e.g. more run-off, floodplain drains)
4. Reduction or modification of ground water (e.g. rising water table, irrigation)
Soil physical
state
5. Reduction or modification to the depth of A horizon (e.g. erosion or deposition)
6. Reduction or modification of natural soil structure (e.g. compaction, cultivation)
Soil chemical
state
7. Run down of natural soil fertility
8. Excess soil nutrients including trace elements
Soil biological
state
9. Reduction or modification of organic recyclers (invertebrate and native mammals)
10. Reduction or modification of locally indigenous surface organic matter, soil crusts
Reproductive
potential
11. Reduction or modification of overstorey structuring species (e.g. viable of seed)
12. Reduction or modification of understorey structuring species (e.g. seed & vegetative)
Change in
VEGETATION
STRUCTURE
Overstorey
structure
13. Reduction or modification of mean top height
14. Reduction or modification of mean foliage projective cover
15. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes
Understorey
structure
16. Reduction or modification of mean top height
17. Reduction or modification of ground cover
18. Reduction or modification of mean structural diversity of age classes
Change in dominant
structuring species
affecting
SPECIES
COMPOSITION
Overstorey
composition
19. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. invasive native species,
firewood vs non-firewood, millable vs non-millable, fodder vs non-fodder
20. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)
Understorey
composition
21. Modification of the density of functional species groups e.g. woody vs non-woody,
invasive native species, palatable vs non-palatable
22. Reduction or modification of relative number of species (richness)

18. 1
3
10
22
Diagnostic
attributes
VASTTRANS
Score
At a point in time
Attribute
groups
Vegetation
Structure
Overstorey
(3)
Understorey
(3)
Species
Composition
(2)
UnderstoreyOverstorey
(2)
Regenerative
Capacity
Fire
(2)
Reprod
potent
(2)
Soil
Hydrology
(2)
Biology
(2)
Chemistry
(2)
Structure
(2) Indicators
Monitoring progress following an intervention