Vegetation associations of the Gwydir Watercourse were mapped from 1:50,000 scale colour aerial photographs taken during the period 26 August 2005 – 10 October 2005. VIS_ID 3921

The 2008 map of the vegetation communites of the Gwydir wetlands and floodplain (Bowen and Simpson 2009) was annotated for flooding frequency history, ecological importance and hydro-ecological functional group to determine the spatial distribution of ecological assets to inform the Valley Wide Floodplain Management Plan for the Gwydir. VIS_ID 3923

In 1996, extant vegetation associations of the Gingham and Lower Gwydir Floodplain, including the Gingham and the Lower Gwydir watercourses, were mapped from 1:25,000 colour aerial photographs. VIS_ID 815

This is a vegetation map of the Gwydir wetlands. It was produced using air photo interpretation from high resolution aerial imagery collected in August 2022 and January 2023. Map development began with the collection of high-resolution aerial colour (Red-Green-Blue) imagery. The imagery was provided as an orthographic mosaic (ie a straight down view) with a 40 cm ground sampling distance covering the whole study area at each wetland. This formed the primary input of information for vegetation extent mapping. This aerial imagery was acquired in August 2022 for the Gwydir Wetlands. In addition, 15 cm high-resolution colour imagery, collected in January 2023, was also sourced from another project and provided as an orthomosaic. This additional imagery helped inform the aerial interpretation of vegetation community extents for an eastern portion of the Gwydir Wetlands study area. Several interpreters were then trained in Aerial Photographic Interpretation (API) to visually analyse the imagery to identify and delineate different vegetation types. This was done based on their spectral characteristics, colour, texture, shape, spatial patterns and associations with predictive environmental layers (such as flood frequency categories, elevation and geomorphology type). Existing survey data was also used to help identify vegetation types from imagery. This included BioNet species data, floristic data and other grey literature. Oblique aerial handheld photos captured from a helicopter were also sourced from another project to inform the aerial imagery interpretation. A subset of the available oblique handheld photos was selected to correspond to the timing (within two years) of the 40cm aerial imagery acquired for vegetation map development. The subset of oblique handheld photos adopted to inform the air photo interpretation included photos collected between January-December 2022. A polygon layer divided into small regions was sourced to overlay on the 40cm aerial imagery. This spatial layer was produced using the Definiens eCognition software package. A computer-based image analysis tool known as segmentation was applied to a set of raster datasets with a 5m grid cell size. This produced a spatial layer of ‘segments’ or very small polygons based on the combined spectral and textural features of the input rasters (Roff et al., 2022). The segmented layer was overlayed on the 40cm aerial imagery. Interpreters then manually selected groups of segments and assigned classes (‘attributes’) to the polygons to delineate vegetation patterns. The use of the segmented spatial layer enabled more efficient mapping, as interpreters did not have to manually draw polygon linework with a mouse. Vegetation patterns were interpreted from the high-resolution 40cm aerial imagery at a scale of 1:25 000 for non-flood dependent vegetation and at a scale of 1:10 000 for wetland communities. The minimum map unit (smallest polygon) was 2 ha. Selected polygons from the segmentation process were initially assigned to an artificial class referred to as a Vegetation Photo Pattern (VPP), analogous to NSW Vegetation Classes (for more information on NSW Vegetation Classes see https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/nsw-bionet/the-nsw-vegetation-classification-framework ). The VVPs were aligned with plant community types (PCTs) as described in the NSW BioNet Vegetation Classification Database (see https://vegetation.bionet.nsw.gov.au/). Each PCT was also aligned to a vegetation functional group corresponding to the vegetation objectives in the Gwydir Wetlands and Macquarie Marshes LTWPs. The accuracy of the map vegetation functional groups was assessed using 780 independently collected field validation points. The overall accuracy was 0.77 and the Kappa statistic was 0.7. Accuracies and 95% confidence intervals for map individual map classes were: Non woody wetland: 0.78 (0.73-0.87) Flood dependent woodland 0.81 (0.76-0.86) River red gum

This dataset is the Plant Community Type (PCT) mapping for the Crinolyn and Windella Ramsar sites of the Gwydir wetlands based on from the tree demographic and full floristic plot vegetation surveys undertaken by Eco Logical Australia from 12 April to 16 April 2023 under the NSW Department of Planning and Environment Gwydir Reconnecting Watercourse Country Program. Within Crinolyn, three PCTs were recorded, two of which (PCT 40 and 53) occur in two distinct forms and form the dominant vegetation communities within the site. A total of four PCTs were recorded within Windella, one of which (PCT 53) occurs in two distinct forms. Coolabah woodland (PCT 40a and 40b) occupied a considerable extent (33.02 ha combined) of Crinolyn and the presence of dead Coolabah throughout areas of PCT 53a, indicate a greater previous extent of Coolabah woodland within and surrounding the site. The extent of Coolabah woodland (PCT 40b) across Windella is less extensive, consisting mostly of patches featuring one mature tree and surrounding saplings and seedlings. PCT 182, characterised by dense stands of Typha domingensis (Narrow-leaved Cumbungi), dominates the central and southern portions of Windella. Following recent inundation, Narrow-leaved Cumbungi is widespread across the majority of the site, featuring as a measurable component of the remaining three other PCTs. A total of two tree demographic / full floristic plots and four full floristic monitoring plots were established in both the Crinolyn and Windella Ramsar sites. A total of 70 flora species (comprising 50 native and 20 exotic species) were recorded within Crinolyn full floristic plots, whilst a total of 48 flora species (comprising 33 native and 15 exotic species) were recorded within Windella full floristic plots. Condition class schemas developed for flood-dependent PCTs were applied to Crinolyn and Windella full floristic plot data. Condition class results were consistent for PCTs across both Crinolyn and Windella, with PCT 40 plots (PCT 40a and 40b) assessed as either Intermediate/Poor or Intermediate, whilst PCT 53a plots ranged from Intermediate to Good or Excellent/Benchmark and PCT 182 plots were assessed as Intermediate. A total of 45 trees were assessed within the two tree demographic plots (CRIN_3 – PCT 40b and CRIN_6 – PCT 40 a) established and surveyed within Crinolyn Coolabah woodland patches. Despite the two plots occurring in the two different forms of Coolabah woodland (PCT 40a and PCT 40b), major differences in tree condition between the two sites were not apparent. A total of 65 trees were assessed within the two tree demographic plots (WIND_2 and WIND_3 – both PCT 40 b) established and surveyed within Windella Coolabah woodland patches. Both plots recorded consistent results, reflective of the similar structure of the Coolabah woodland patches present within Windella. Landscape features or structures present within and surrounding the Crinolyn and Windella Ramsar sites which may influence inundation and hydrological regimes were noted during the field survey, most evidently drainage channels that have been constructed within both sites. Both drainage channels influence the flow of water across both sites and in doing so, also influence the distribution and composition of vegetation within the sites. Away from site boundaries, and apart from Phyla canescens (Lippia) which was widespread across both sites, weed cover was generally low and no listed weed species for the region were recorded during field surveys (Local Land Services 2017). Crinolyn and Windella Ramsar sites contain vegetation reflective of functioning wetland systems which vary in form and condition across their extent, and in addition to their individual ecological value, are an important part of the wider Gwydir Wetlands. At a broader scale, the separation of the sites from one another and surrounding wetlands is apparent, as is the influence of external factors such as the scale and intensity of

This is DRAFT metadata and will be updated in 2011. Vegetation communites of the Macquarie Marshes floodplain in 2008 were mapped by updating the linework and attributes of the 1991 Macquarie Marshes vegetation map (Wilson 1992) using digital aerial photography (50cm pixels) taken from March to May 2008 and field surveys conducted in May, October and November 2008. VIS_ID 3920

These polygons are from the Vegetation Extent and Condition Map of the Gwydir Wetlands and Floodplain 2008 and 2015. VIS_ID 4687, 4688, 4689, 4690, 4691, 4692. Includes the following datasets: MarshClubRush_2014_V1_E_4687 MarshClubRush_2015_E_4688 MCR_BigLeather_2017_E_4689 MCR_BigLeatherRamsar2017_E_4690 MCR_Bunnor_2017_E_4691 MCR_LowerGwydir_2017_E_4692 Note that the technical report is in preparation. Data relate to Gwydir Extent & Condition map (see VIS_ID 4686)

These data were converted from the originally delivered Microsoft Access PLOTs database from the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Gauley River National Recreation Area. These comma-delimited data tables contain(s) vegetation mapping plot classification and accuracy assessment data, as well as summary information about the data itself. If a table is empty, then it was empty in the original database.

These data were converted from the originally delivered Microsoft Access PLOTs database from the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Gauley River National Recreation Area. These comma-delimited data tables contain(s) vegetation mapping plot classification and accuracy assessment data, as well as summary information about the data itself. If a table is empty, then it was empty in the original database.