1362.6 - Regional Statistics, Tasmania, 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/08/2003   
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Contents >> Environment >> Biodiversity >> Land cover

In 1999 the Greater Hobart-Southern Region had the highest proportion of forest coverage in the state (44.2%) followed by the Northern region (42.2%). The Greater Hobart-Southern Region also had the highest coverage of alpine (5.5%) and woodland coverage (7.8%) and the lowest proportion of scrub (10.3%) and wetland (0.5%) coverage.

The Northern Region had the highest proportion of agricultural (19.4%) and urban (1.2%) coverage and the lowest rainforest (1.8%) coverage in Tasmania.

The Mersey-Lyell Region had the highest rainforest (15.8 %) and heath/buttongrass (9.2%) coverage and the lowest agricultural (8.3%), alpine (1.2%) and woodland (1.1%) coverage in Tasmania.


LAND COVER, Tasmanian regions(a)(b)
Greater Hobart-Southern
Northern
Mersey-Lyell
Land classification
ha
%
ha
%
ha
%
Agricultural(c)
241,111
9.5
386,518
19.4
205,297
8.3
Alpine vegetation(d)
139,093
5.5
41,007
2.1
29,300
1.2
Bare(e)
95,158
3.7
77,103
3.9
78,743
3.2
Forest
1,128,210
44.2
839,263
42.2
631,321
25.4
Grassland
75,455
3.0
84,795
4.3
14,814
0.6
Heath/buttongrass
93,811
3.7
57,820
2.9
229,331
9.2
Rainforest
151,011
5.9
36,685
1.8
393,806
15.8
Saltmarsh
7,465
0.3
7,250
0.4
2,502
0.1
Scrub
262,807
10.3
285,390
14.4
556,508
22.4
Unclassified(f)
10,651
0.4
18,220
0.9
14,621
0.6
Urban
21,035
0.8
24,663
1.2
26,326
1.1
Water
111,938
4.4
14,518
0.7
257,781
10.4
Wetland
12,977
0.5
38,680
1.9
17,570
0.7
Woodland
199,920
7.8
76,810
3.9
27,106
1.1
Total
2,550,642
100.0
1,988,722
100.0
2,485,026
100.1
(a) Classification is derived from satellite imagery acquired between January 1999 and 2002. The accuracy of such classifications is about 80%. For further information see the footnote below.
(b) Area covered includes the Bass Strait islands (King Island and the Furneaux group).
(c) Primarily agricultural areas may also include some urban fringe areas, native grasslands and other low or sparse vegetation.
(d) Includes alpine grassland, heath, scrub and forest.
(e) Any form of bare ground such as new house sites, quarries, sand dunes, and rocky shores.
(f) Includes areas such as water and cloud shadows masked out of the classification process.

Source: State of the Environment Reporting Program, Resource Planning and Development Commission.


Footnote

Landsat 7 data from 1999 to 2002 were analysed and classified by the School of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania. Up to 20 regions were identified. Many of these classes were amalgamated to present this analysis of land cover for each of the major Tasmanian regions. This analysis was undertaken as part of the State of the Environment Reporting program for Tasmania. Remotely sensed data greatly simplifies vegetation and land cover types. It is also susceptible to misclassification with accuracy generally at about 80% for the classification.

Mapping of Tasmania's vegetation communities at high resolution, primarily at 1:25,000 scale, is available across the whole state through TASVEG. Vegetation maps and other resources are available through the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE). Land use maps and resources are also available through DPIWE and the Australian Natural Resource Atlas.

Previously published data differs from current data due to the use of remote sensing software. Remote sensing software is constantly refined to provide increasingly accurate land cover information. Seasonality impacts on how the software distinguishes land cover types.


FURTHER INFORMATION
For information relating to State Forest coverage and activity in Tasmania, see Forestry under Statistics-Tasmania.



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