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