Biosecurity Tasmania has developed the Weeds Mapping Application. The interactive map shows the locations of weeds in Tasmania which are:
weed observations from the Natural Values Atlas of Tasmania, and
the legislative zoning of each (declared) weed in each Local Government Area under the Biosecurity Act 2019
This data is useful for managing weed species including weeds that are:
declared
environmental
of community concern
The map is available online for access and exploration.
How to use the map
You can use the map to look at the spread of records across the state for a given weed species.
The maps will help you answer:
What is the level of priority of this species in my Local Government Area?
Does it make sense for me to deal with this species on my own, or is it important that I work with my neighbours in tackling the problem?
Is there another, more pressing, weed species that I should be dealing with first?
Weeds Mapping Application - Video Tutorials
To help you use and understanding the map, Biosecurity Tasmania created two short video tutorials:
Weeds Action Fund Mapping Application – Video Tutorial 1
Weeds Action Fund Mapping Application – Video Tutorial 2
The video tutorials (and mapping application) were created to support project development for the Weeds Action Fund. This was later adapted and broadened. The videos therefore include reference to ‘the Weeds Action Fund’, but the instructions are entirely applicable to exploring and understanding weed spread and legislative zones in Tasmania.
Natural Values Atlas Observation Data
Natural Values Atlas records are a collection of observation records of a species and, as with all such observation data, there are limitations: they do not give a definitive map of a species’ distribution or abundance. The limitations are described below:
What sorts of 'errors' may be present in the data:
There may be some inaccurate records (misidentification, or location error),
There be some, or many, ‘missing’ records (if no surveys have been conducted, or no weed data recorded/sumbitted for the area)
Some records may be historical (ie., in the case of weeds, control action was taken after the weed was found, and it is no longer present, but the NVA record will remain in perpetuity).
The Natural Values Atlas have produced a
Newsletter where the best way to interpret the data is explained:
NVA Newsletter Winter 2019 (PDF 797Kb)
Adding new records to the Natural Values Atlas
All new natural values observers are welcome. Go to the Natural Values Atlas webpage to register as a user and find out how to submit records.
Alternatively, send the helpful NVA team an email or phone the team if you need access to weed data in an alternative format.