Lymburner, Leo, Burrows, Damien, and Butler, Barry (2007) Using remote sensing to map wetland water clarity and permanence: approaches for identifying wetlands requiring management in large catchments. In: Proceedings of the 5th Australian Stream Management Conference. Australian Rivers: Making a Difference. pp. 235-240. From: 5th Australian Stream Management Conference. Australian Rivers: Making a Difference, 21-25 May 2007, Albury, NSW.

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Abstract

Protecting wetlands is a major NRM activity across Australia, especially under NHT funding. Programs that provide funding for on-ground works and encourage best management practices are intended to enable improved management of wetlands. However, the reality is that of the many thousands of potential candidate wetlands that would benefit from funding, only relatively few will be the subject of such investments, thus requiring the dispersion of the limited funds to be more strategic. This is a very difficult task, especially when current knowledge of the number, location, variety, ecological character and management needs of wetlands are poorly known. In such situations, and especially in large, remote catchments where little of the required information exists, an archive of satellite imagery is the only feasible means of obtaining the required information in a timely and cost effective manner. Using a combination of satellite imagery, local wetland knowledge, and scientific knowledge of ecological processes, we have developed a process to aid in gathering of strategic wetland knowledge for large remote catchments. Developing such an inventory also contributes to increased land manager knowledge and understanding of regional aquatic resources and wetland management needs, and can feed into other common NRM programs. This paper deals with issues of how to cheaply and rapidly capture substantial wetland inventory information across large remote catchments, and proposes a scheme, based on the principles of wetland permanency, rarity and uniqueness, to prioritise their values and investment priority. Results of ongoing trials of the scheme in the Burdekin and Gulf of Carpentaria catchments of north Queensland are presented.

Item ID:	3067
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
ISBN:	978-0-646-47479-3
Keywords:	wetlands; ecological character; remote sensing; inundation frequency; turbidity
Related URLs:	http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/news...
Additional Information:
Date Deposited:	06 Oct 2009 23:17
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050299 Environmental Science and Management not elsewhere classified @ 50% 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060204 Freshwater Ecology @ 50%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9609 Land and Water Management > 960999 Land and Water Management of Environments not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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