vegetation matters: managing vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation...

31
Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for Sustainable Ecosystem Services Richard Thackway Policy Choices for Salinity Mitigation: Bridging the Disciplinary Divides 1-2 February 2007

Upload: others

Post on 03-Jan-2020

1 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for Sustainable Ecosystem Services

Richard Thackway

Policy Choices for Salinity Mitigation: Bridging the Disciplinary Divides 1-2 February 2007

Page 2: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Outline• Current national NRM policy and program settings• Vegetation Matters - a project commissioned by the Aust

Government (DAFF)• Purpose to inform discussions on the usefulness of the

ecosystem services concept at a national scale• Key findings of Veg Matters

• Other related BRS activities

Page 3: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Current national NRM Programs

• National M&E Framework for NRM

– Standards & Targets - National natural resource outcomes - Multiple NRM Outcomes - NAP and NHT (‘regional model’)

Actually these policies & programs came before NM&EF

Page 4: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Why a multiple outcomes ES approach

• A new framework– Promoting an integrated multiple services/ benefits approach – Characterising the full range of services/ benefits– Clarity about the role(s) of biodiversity – Different value perspectives – Tools for selecting, trading-off and procuring subsets of ES

• Setting targets and measuring progress– What mix of services is needed/ wanted?– Non-linear & discontinuous change across gradients and time– Spatial scales– Simple and clear measurement and reporting

Page 5: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Scope of Veg Matters• why title ‘veg matters’• why vegetation and not soils & water • multiple rather than single ES• all vegetation (exotic and native)• all land uses (extensive and intensive) and management practices• all tenures (public, private and Aboriginal lands);• premise - veg management interventions should be based on:

– a clear appreciation of needs, values and priorities– based on a sound science (environmental/social/economics)– a capacity to measure, monitor and report trends at two board

scales- on-ground & landscape

Page 6: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key vegetation-related ES covered by Veg Matters

• wildlife habitat• biodiversity• carbon sequestration • protection of soils from erosion• maintenance of water quality • cultural services• production values of foods, fibres and building materials on which human

life depends.

Page 7: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key question – Veg Matters

“What knowledge is needed about vegetation and/or ways for describing vegetation that will help us to appropriately adjust the way it is used and managed to obtain and maintain a wide range of ecosystem services”?

Page 8: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Assumptions of veg-based ES approach

• purposeful management of vegetation is a practical means to achieve many desired ES outcomes

• ecological function varies in different ecosystems, over time and is strongly influenced by land management practices

• land management practices ‘operate’ to change the mix of ES associated with veg types and their condition states

• existing info and tools are adequate although patchy in coverage and transferability

Page 9: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Colour = type

Region

Landscapes (integrated mosaic of ecosystems)

Width = magnitude

Ecosystem service/s

Assumption - we can aggregate and procure ES from ecosystems, landscapes and regions

Ecosystems

Page 10: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Need for clear definitions

• Biosphere• Ecosystem Function• Ecosystem Process• Ecosystem Services• Flows• Landscape• Landscape Function• Mosaics• Vegetation condition states

Page 11: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Ecosystem Structure and FunctionVegetation use and management

Ecosystem Processes

Soil

Carbon

Hydrology/water

Energy

Indicators of sustainable use & management of e.g. extent, use, value,

condition

Sustainable maintenance and delivery of agreed

ecosystem services

Monitoring and evaluation and adaptive management

Page 12: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

What are ES?

Need to use agreed international definitions – Millennium Assessment1. regulating services

that affect climate, floods, disease, wastes, air and water quality

2. supporting services such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling

3. provisioning or production services such as food, water, timber, and fibre

4. cultural services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits

Page 13: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Relationships between ecosystem elements of landscapes, land parcels and land use

Landscape

Land parcels

Land use classes

Page 14: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Dai

ry

Frui

t and

gra

pes

Veg

etab

les

Gra

zing

Cro

ps

Inte

nsiv

e an

imal

s

Fore

stry

Food

pro

cess

ing

Hou

sing

Wat

er p

rodu

ctio

n

Rec

reat

ion

Cul

ture

/ bio

dive

rs

Pollination

Life-fulfillment

Climate regulation

Pest control

Genetic resources

Habitat regeneration

Shade and shelter

Soil health

Healthy waterways

Water filtration

River regulation

Waste absorption

SE

RV

ICE

SLAND-USES

CSIRO (Binning et al, 2000)

Page 15: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Monitoring and Reporting Ecosystem Services

Time1 2 3 4 5 6

Com

pone

nt

scor

es

10

0

2

4

6

8

Value of production

Carbon sequestration

Biodiversity conservation

Water quality

Water quantity

Reporting unit = catchment Target for biodiversity

Page 16: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Surface and groundwater availability

Genetic and biochemical resources

Provision of fresh water

Soil health

Biodiversity

Surface and Groundwater

quality

Social well being & community health

Life fulfilment

Amenity

Science and education resources

Food production

Fibre production

Assessing and reporting ES at a landscape scale for t1

Ideal

Management goal for acceptable condition

Marginal

Unstainable

Condition states

Page 17: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key findings – Veg Matters

• Improved recognition of ES values• Better understanding of public and private values• Access to tools to assess & manage trade-offs / synergies between ES• A common language• ES and Biodiversity• Clearer definitions e.g. ES = MBI, ES = EMS• Ecological function is poorly understood

Page 18: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key findings - clear benefits from:

• explicit recognition of the range and value of ES provided by vegetation (type and condition states)

• development of a ecosystems services framework• explicit implementation of a application of the ES concept in all NRM

initiatives – incl. water & salinity• adoption of landscapes (mosaics of ecosystems) as the spatial planning

unit in future programs

Page 19: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key findings – must clarify which ‘space’ people are working in ‘policy cycle’

Adaptive management cycle

1 Characterise

2 Prioritise

3 Implement program/s

4 On ground management

5 Regional resource condition

5

4 3

2

1

Key science-based Inputs:•Understanding of ecological function•land management practices •veg types•desired condition states

Page 20: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Key findings – flexibility in decision making

• A national ES framework needs to balance competing social, economic and environmental calls on ecosystem services – and recognise need to

• repeat and/or adjust one or more steps in the policy cycle to deliver the desired outcomes

• move up/down scales national, regional and local• stakeholders want tools to inform them of costs and benefits (i.e.

environmental, economic and social) of potential projects

Page 21: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Where to from here?

• establish long term multi-stage monitoring framework to better understand linkages between ES, ecological function & responses of vegetation (type & condition states) to management practices

• regularly collect minimum data sets (spatial & temporal) about +/- changes and trends in ES as a result of policy settings & program investments

• long term and short term reporting• need for simpler rather than simple tools e.g. indices or an index

• NB: MCA and state and transition models are gaining traction among stakeholders

Page 22: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Reporting & communications • for consistency will require coordination • may be too great a burden for local land managers • will require the development of agreed tools for assessment at different

temporal and spatial scales• will require necessary improvements in collation, analysis and delivery of

existing information held in distributed info systems

Where to from here?

Page 23: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Other BRS activities

• Developing a typology for describing and mapping land managementpractices and their impact on vegetation type and condition states

• Assisting in the design of tools to assess the condition states of vegetation• Compiling vegetation condition state datasets at various scales• Compiling land use datasets• MCA tools and assessments

Page 24: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Step 1.2a

Describe and map which vegetation type/s are to be targeted

Describe and map current condition states for each native veg type using a benchmark for each vegetation type (i.e. veg community) e.g. VAST where condition states strongly influenced by land management practices

Develop scenarios (i.e. spatial and temporal) that describe & map selected ecosystem services and their trade-offs in bioregions based on vegetation types, condition states, veg functional attributes – where land management practices are the ‘driver’ of change

Step 1.2b

Step 1.3

Develop relationships between veg type and condition states, vegetation functional attributes, land management practices, & ecosystem services –relevant to ecological functional land units e.g. bioregions

Step 1.1

Use tools to efficiently target ecosystem services/environmental outcomes based on procuring changes in land management practices that focus on veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes

Steps 2-5

Native Non-native Non-vega

b

What information do we need & have to inform key decision points in the earlier Policy Cycle (Steps 1-5)?

Describe and map key vegetation functional attributes for each veg type that are correlated with land management practices and the desired mix of ecosystem services e.g. regeneration, life cycle, age class, strata, foliage cover, biomass, rooting depth, height

Step 1.2c

Step 1.2

Select which set/s of ecosystem services are required

Page 25: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Vegetation States Assets and Transitions (VAST) framework

VIVIVIIIIII0

Native vegetationcover

Non-native vegetationcover

Condition states

Increasing vegetation modification

Transitions = trend

Vegetation thresholds

Ass

ets

Page 26: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

National Assessment (Model + GIS + Expert interpretation) Tells us condition states – in a

management context

Page 27: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

North West Victoria (Model + GIS + Expert interpretation)

Vic DSE: Newell & Parkes et al

BRS: Forest and Vegetation Sciences

Inputs/steps: Vegetation condition model + land use + expert interpretation

Page 28: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

p142-02

p142-18

p143

Tracking progress - poplar box woodlands (Central Qld) - sites

• VAST I• Freehold no grazing• Multiple strata, some emergents• Biomass ~120 t/ha • FPC ~ 52%, Max height ~ 24m• Spp OverS 3-5, MidS 5+, GroundS 5-10• Regen - good

• VAST II• Freehold - grazing • Two strata• Biomass ~68 t/ha • FPC ~ 25%, Max height ~ 17m• Spp OverS 3, MidS 1, GroundS ~1-4• Regen – Low-Moderate

• VAST III• Freehold - heavy grazing - mechanical

thinning• Single, low height strata • Biomass ~42 t/ha • FPC ~ 20%, Max height ~ 13m• Spp OverS 3, MidS 0, GroundS ~1-4• Regen – very low, bare ground

Page 29: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Proposed accounting for ES using condition states of veg types

0 I II III IV V VI

Carbon sequestration

Biodiversity Conservation

Water -nutrient mitigation

Food & fibre production

Recreation

Salinity mitigation

Ecos

yste

m g

ood s

an d

se r

vice

s

Page 30: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Conclusion

• There is increasing support for a multiple ES framework for NRM • Veg Matters (i.e. sustainable veg management for multiple ES benefits)

has stimulated considerable debate among stakeholders• Support for developing decision support tools that integrate land

management practices that ‘operate’ to change the mix of ES associated with veg types and their condition states

Page 31: Vegetation Matters: Managing Vegetation for …...veg types, condition states and vegetation functional attributes Steps 2-5 Native Non-native Non-veg a b What information do we need

Acknowledgements

• Veg Matters Writing Team (Richard Thackway, Graham Yapp, Joe Walker, Roger Hnatiuk ,Jann Williams, Thilak Mallawaarachchi, Ian Byron and Cynthia Maher)

• The development of the VAST framework was funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and the Bureau of Rural Sciences

• Many people across Australia have contributed to the ideas expressed in this presentation