About regional ecosystems
- Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD)
- Regional Ecosystem mapping version history
- High value regrowth version history
- Broad Vegetation Group (BVG) version history
- Bioregions and bioregional coordinators
- Biodiversity status regional ecosystem and BVG maps
- Technical descriptions
- BioCondition benchmarks
- Remnant vegetation in Queensland
- Regional ecosystem data sources
- Definitions
- Related data sets
Regional ecosystems are vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil (Sattler and Williams 1999, Vegetation Management Act 1999).
Descriptions presented in Sattler and Williams (1999) were derived from a broad range of existing information sources including land system, vegetation and geology mapping and reports.
The development and refinement of the regional ecosystem classification and mapping of Queensland is described in Queensland’s Regional Ecosystems. Building and maintaining a biodiversity inventory, planning framework and information system for Queensland.
The Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD) supersedes the regional ecosystem descriptions in Sattler and Williams (1999). REDD includes updated descriptions, to improve clarity, and also includes additional regional ecosystems and vegetation communities recognised since 1999.
The Queensland Herbarium has developed a methodology for mapping regional ecosystems across Queensland. This results in regular reviews to the descriptions and status of regional ecosystems.
Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD)
Regional ecosystem descriptions are maintained in the Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD). It accompanies the Queensland Herbarium regional ecosystem mapping.
If you're looking for vegetation management information you can use the vegetation management regional ecosystems description database (VM REDD)
Recommended citation
Please reference information contained in the database as:
Queensland Herbarium (2023) Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD). Version 13 (May 2023) (Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation: Brisbane).
Versions include updates to regional ecosystem descriptions and other information as this becomes available including taxonomic name changes (Census of the Queensland Flora), fire guidelines, broad vegetation group, species listed in the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation, July 2012, VM Regulation Class.
REDD version history
- REDD Version 13 – May 2023
- REDD Version 12.1 – December 2021
- REDD Version 12 – March 2021
- REDD Version 11.1 – April 2019
- REDD Version 11 – December 2018
- REDD Version 10.1 – March 2018
- REDD Version 10.0 – December 2016
- REDD Version 9.0 – April 2015
- REDD Version 8.1 – April 2014
- REDD Version 8.0 – November 2013
- REDD Version 6.1 – February 2013
- REDD Version 6.0b – August 2012
- REDD Version 6.0b – January 2011
- REDD version 6.0b – November 2009
- REDD Version 5.2 – November 2007
- REDD Version 5.1 – June 2007
- REDD Version 5.0 – December 2005
- REDD Version 4.2 – March 2005
- REDD Version 4.1 – August 2004
- REDD Version 4.0 – September 2003
- REDD Version 3.2 – March 2003
- REDD Version 3.1 – October 2002
- REDD Version 3.0 – October 2001.
| Date | Version |
|---|---|
| 18 May 2023 | 13 – 2021 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 2 May 2022 | 12.2 – 2019 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 1 December 2021 | 12.1 – 2019 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 1 March 2021 | 12 – 2019 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 14 December 2018 | 11 – 2017 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 1 March 2018 | 10.1 - 2015 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 14 December 2016 | 10.0 - 2015 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping |
| 30 April 2015 | 9.0 - 2013 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping and Remnant Vegetation Cover (RVC13) for incomplete areas. |
| 2 December 2013 | 8.0 - 2011 remnant and pre-clearing regional ecosystem (RE) mapping and Remnant Vegetation Cover (RVC11) for incomplete areas. |
| 31 August 2012 | 7.0 – 2009 remnant and pre-clearing RE with ‘Biodiversity Status’ ONLY – not for VMA usage. |
| 16 September 2011 | 6.1 – released by Vegetation Management (DERM) – correction to the 2006b remnant RE for VMA. |
| 9 November 2009 | 6.0b (Ballot) – 2006b remnant RE and pre-clearing (where RE mapping complete) |
| 9 December 2005 | 5.0 - 2003 remnant RE and pre-clearing (where RE mapping complete) |
| 4 April 2005 | 4.3 – update |
| 4 April 2005 | 4.2 – update |
| 4 April 2005 | 4.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 15 December 2004 | 4.2 – update |
| 15 December 2004 | 4.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 2 August 2004 | 4.2 – update |
| 2 August 2004 | 4.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 21 May 2004 | 4.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 5 March 2004 | 4.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 2 September 2003 | 4.0 - 2001 remnant RE and pre-clearing (where RE mapping complete) Biodiversity Status added for the first time. |
| 25 July 2002 | 3.2 – update |
| 25 July 2002 | 3.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 30 April 2002 | 3.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 12 April 2002 | 3.1 – additional RE mapping completed |
| 22 March 2002 | 3.1 – SEQ released |
| 7 June 2001 | 3.0 - 1999 remnant RE and pre-clearing (where RE mapping complete) |
| 2.1 – additional RE mapping completed | |
| 2.2 – additional RE mapping completed | |
| 15 September 2000 | 2.0 - 1997 remnant RE and pre-clearing (where RE mapping complete) |
| Date | Version |
|---|---|
| 30 April 2015 | Draft pre-clearing – (updated where RE mapping incomplete – Final release) |
| 2 December 2013 | Draft pre-clearing – (updated where RE mapping incomplete) |
| 31 August 2012 | Draft pre-clearing – (updated where RE mapping incomplete) |
| February 2012 | Draft pre-clearing – (updated where RE mapping incomplete) |
| August 2010 | Draft pre-clearing – (updated where RE mapping incomplete) |
| November 2009 | Draft pre-clearing – (where RE mapping incomplete) |
| October 2008 and June 2009 | Uncertified pre-clearing RE mapping (CYP, GUP, western Qld) – Incorporated in version 6.0b |
| Date | Version |
|---|---|
| 18 May 2023 | Version 13.0.1 – High Value Regrowth 2021 |
| 02 May 2022 | Version 12.2.1 – High Value Regrowth 2019 |
| Date | Version |
|---|---|
| 18 May 2023 | Version 6 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 02 May 2022 | Version 5.2 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 1 December 2021 | Version 5.1 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 1 March 2021 | Version 5 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 14 December 2018 | Version 4 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 14 December 2016 | Version 3 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| 30 April 2015 | Version 2 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| November 2014 | Version 1.1 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
| October 2014 | Version 1 – Broad Vegetation Groups of Queensland |
Bioregions and bioregional coordinators
For expert advice contact the coordinator for the relevant bioregion (listed below) by contacting the Queensland Herbarium on (07) 3199 7699 or Queensland.Herbarium@qld.gov.au.
| Bioregion | Bioregional coordinator | |
|---|---|---|
| ID | Name | |
| 1 | Northwest Highlands | Dan Kelman |
| 2 | Gulf Plains | Chris Appelman |
| 3 | Cape York Peninsula | Eda Addicott |
| 4 | Mitchell Grass Downs | Chris Appelman |
| 5 | Channel Country | Dale Richter and Chris Pennay |
| 6 | Mulga Lands | Chris Appelman |
| 7 | Wet Tropics | Eda Addicott |
| 8 | Central Queensland Coast | Sandy Pollock and Alicia Wain |
| 9 | Einasleigh Uplands | Eda Addicott and Shannon Hudson |
| 10 | Desert Uplands | Dan Kelman |
| 11 | Brigalow Belt (North) | Alicia Wain and Sandy Pollock |
| Brigalow Belt (South) | Sandy Pollock and Alicia Wain | |
| 12 | South East Queensland | Tim Ryan and Dean Orrick |
| 13 | New England Tableland | Dan Kelman |
The regional ecosystem classification scheme information and products are used for planning and management by state and local government, business and landholders.
The framework has been incorporated into several planning initiatives including:
- development of guidelines for clearing on leasehold lands under the Lands Act 1994 and the Vegetation Management Act 1999
- preparation of, or amendments to, local government planning schemes
- assessment of the reserve network (comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness)
- as a guide for environmental actions by government and non-government organisations.
Read more about the regional ecosystem framework including land zone definitions and explanation of fields.
Vegetation communities are amalgamated into the higher level classification of broad vegetation groups (BVGs). There are 3 levels of broad vegetation groups, which reflect the approximate scale at which they are designed to be used:
- 1:5,000,000 (national)
- 1:2,000,000 (state)
- 1:1,000,000 (regional).
Biodiversity status regional ecosystem and BVG maps
The biodiversity status listed on this database is based on an assessment of the condition of remnant vegetation in addition to the pre-clearing and remnant extent of a regional ecosystem (RE).
You can request a map showing the biodiversity status and/or the BVG. These maps are not statutory. Additionally, a report identifying the regional ecosystems, their biodiversity status and more for a specific location can be generated through the Environmental reports online page.
Maps can be requested using property details or central coordinates and returned by email as a PDF.
The maps do not replace the vegetation management maps.
Technical descriptions
Technical descriptions provide more detailed information about the structure and floristic composition of regional ecosystems including the variability within an ecosystem.
The descriptions are based on quantitative site survey data from field information and the Queensland Herbarium QBEIS database. The technical descriptions are subject to review and are updated as additional data becomes available.
BioCondition benchmarks
BioCondition assessment provides a measure of vegetation condition from an ecological perspective to show how well a terrestrial ecosystem is functioning for the maintenance of biodiversity values at a local or property scale.
BioCondition involves the assessment of a range of attributes known to be important surrogates of biodiversity.
BioCondition benchmarks facilitate the comparison of biodiversity condition within and across a regional ecosystem.
They are quantitative values for each attribute that is assessed in BioCondition and are based on the average or median values of these attributes sourced from mature and long undisturbed ‘reference’ site.
Benchmarks are available for a subset of regional ecosystems, with their development ongoing and are subject to review based on additional data and expert opinion. Benchmarks are based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative information.
Remnant vegetation in Queensland
Regional ecosystem data is reported every 2 years to provide statistics on the extent of Queensland's remnant vegetation and regional ecosystems. Remnant vegetation in Queensland provides breakdowns by subregions and other areas, such as local government, of the amount of pre-clearing and remnant vegetation, for each regional ecosystem.
It also provides information and maps to support biodiversity planning and management by state and local government, natural resource management agencies, business and landholders.
Regional ecosystem data sources
Use the Queensland Government data portal to download:
- pre-clearing and remnant regional ecosystem mapping data in common GIS formats (search for ‘regional ecosystem’)
- certified vegetation management data for larger areas (search for ‘vegetation management’).
Definitions
Pre-clearing vegetation is the vegetation present before clearing.
Remnant woody vegetation is vegetation that has not been cleared or vegetation that has been cleared but where the dominant canopy has greater than 70% of the height and greater than 50% of the cover relative to the undisturbed height and cover of that stratum and is dominated by species characteristic of the vegetation's undisturbed canopy. View the Queensland Herbarium mapping methodology for further clarification of the definition and mapping methods of remnant vegetation.
Related data sets
- Biodiversity planning assessments—The Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology provides a consistent approach for assessing biodiversity values at the landscape scale in Queensland.
- Wetlands—Wetland regional ecosystems have been combined with other information, including water body mapping from satellite imagery and point location databases, to map the extent and type of wetlands across Queensland. WetlandInfo includes access to the latest version of wetland maps and data.
- National vegetation mapping products—Regional ecosystems have been aligned with the National Vegetation information System and incorporated into maps of major vegetation groups . This information has subsequently been incorporated into the Australia’s State of the Forests Report 2013.
- Land types for grazing land management—Regional ecosystems have been broadly equated with grazing land types across 16 grazing land management regions in Queensland. These land types describe areas of land with characteristic patterns of soil, vegetation, and landform to be used for grazing land management.
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)—Seventeen ecological communities listed under this Act occur in Queensland. The Regional ecosystems corresponding to ecological communities listed under the Commonwealth EPBC Act lists those regional ecosystems that best correspond to the national listed ecological communities. For each community the link to the specific details on the Species Profile and Threats Database should be consulted for a description of the ecological community, key diagnostic characteristics, condition thresholds.