< SEARCH
3.1. Why is the question important?
3.2. What resources are available?
3.2a National assessments
3.2b Vegetation clearance
3.2c Weeds and diseases
3.2d Altered fire and glazing regimes
3.2e Altered hydrology
3.2f Urbanisation
3.2g Climate change
3.2h Social and institutional pressures
3.2i Interacting threats
3.3. Where to from here?
3.3a Vegetation clearance
3.3b Weeds and diseases
3.3c Altered fire and grazing regimes
3.3d Altered hydrology
3.3e Urbanisation
3.3f Climate change
3.3g Social and institutional pressures
3.3h Interacting threats
3.3a Vegetation clearance

New remote sensing techniques, a standardised approach to determining land cover change and further evaluation of methods are required to improve the precision of current estimates of vegetation clearance. These are issues that are being pursued actively by government agencies and research institutions.

A better understanding is needed of less obvious forms of clearing that may occur through processes such as lack of regeneration through, for example, over-grazing by herbivores or altered microclimate. Ultimately, lack of recruitment and the death of adult plants could lead to the loss of native vegetation, as occurs with active clearing. The extent to which this phenomenon is occurring is still to be well documented.

R&D Tip: 3.1
Find out about national clearing patterns and the methods used from the National Carbon Accounting System (http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ncas/index.html). Information is available in some States through programs such as the Statewide Landcover and Tree Study (http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/slats/) in Queensland.