Limitations of the NAIA Templates for use in ecological assessments of natural areas within the South West Biodiversity Project (SWBP) Area The Natural Area Initial Assessment (NAIA) Template has been developed for the assessment of natural areas within the Perth Metropolitan Area as part of the Perth Biodiversity Project (PBP) and the Local Government Biodiversity Planning Guidelines for the Perth Metropolitan Region. The templates are, for the most part, applicable for ecological assessments of natural areas within the SWBP area. There are however, some limitations to its use which are outlined below. Initial Desktop Assessment Reference to the Metropolitan Regional Scheme and Bush Forever Sites is only relevant to the Shire of Serpentine – Jarrahdale. Similarly, reference to the Street Directory Page and Grid Reference is only relevant in this Shire. Natural Area Initial Field Assessment A and B The Field Assessment components of the NAIA templates are applicable for conducting ecological assessments of natural areas within the SWBP area. Natural Area Initial Assessment Summary The Natural Area Initial Assessment Summary template records the Local Significance Criteria met by a Local Natural Area following the completion of the Initial Desktop and Field Assessments. The Summary section refers to ecological criteria that were specifically designed for ecological assessments of natural areas within the Perth Metropolitan Area. Sections of the ecological criteria outlined in the NAIA Summary template are not applicable in determining locally significant natural areas within the SWBP area, (for example 1a v. of an ecological community with only 400 ha or 10% or less (whichever is the greater) protected for conservation in the Bush Forever Study Area). This specifically relates to the criteria determining the regional and local representation significance, rarity and regional and local significant ecological linkages. Similarly, within the viability estimate section of the NAIA Summary Template, the reference to regional ecological linkages within the connectivity section is not yet relevant to the SWBP area as Regionally Significant Ecological Linkages are yet to be formalised within the South West region with the exception being the Peel and Greater Bunbury areas as this was completed under the Region Schemes by the EPA. The NAIA Summary template will be modified in the near future to meet the needs of the SWBP following the completion of the Swan Bioplan vegetation mapping (1:5000 scale on the Swan Coastal Plan), the Department of Agriculture mapping (1:20,000 scale over the remainder of the SW project area) and a review by the project ecologist. It is anticipated that the Summary Template will have been modified and available for use by December 2006. As the Initial Desktop and Field Assessment components of the NAIA templates are applicable for ecological assessments of natural areas within the SWBP area it is anticipated that this part of the ecological assessments can be undertaken in the forthcoming spring (2006), with the collected data recorded in the Summary templates once available. If you have any comments or questions about the limitations of the use of the NAIA Templates in the South West Region, please contact: Jodie Wood Biodiversity Technical Officer South West biodiversity Project Phone: 9792 7083 Email: jwood@bunbury.wa.gov.au