Biodiversity Module
Environmental impacts are widespread, often diffuse and usually cumulative. The AEMERA Biodiversity Module provides access to national near-real time biodiversity data with maps generated every 2 minutes.
The National Reserve System is an essential part of our approach to protect its unique natural environment. It comprises a network of reserves that protect habitats, species and ecosystems for their conservation (and sustainable use) values. It includes committed protected areas (national parks, world heritage properties and others) as well as state/territory, community and privately owned sites where the government helps fund important biodiversity outcomes.
The AEMERA Biodiversity Module provides access to near-real time biodiversity data generated every 5 minutes for over 1 million NRS sites across Australia allowing users to identify and map:
- Commonwealth (federal) protected areas;
- State, Territory and Local Government protected areas;
- Community groups committed to conservation;
- Private land of high biodiversity value;
- Public conservation lands such as World Heritage properties.
Ecological Site Information Model
AEMERA uses the Ecological Site Information Model (ESIM), developed by NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change, which is a nationally consistent classification system based on the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS), to identify a broad range of native vegetation communities and substrates.
AEMERA also integrates with BOM Weather, allowing users to overlay air quality data onto cultural heritage sites for monitoring purposes. It allows government agencies to improve communication with the public and helps make decisions about where to work, play and live.
Environmental Impact Assessment Processes
One example is in relation to environmental impact assessment processes. The review panel decides whether or not an EIA has been satisfactorily completed before making recommendations to either grant or refuse consent for a development proposal which can have significant impacts on landscapes, infrastructure and natural resources. AEMERA provides a framework which the public can provide input into decision making processes which are not only based on environmental issues but also include social, economic and cultural factors.
AEMERA is a more efficient model for planning, monitoring and data management. Government agencies at both the state/territory and federal level can use AEMERA to develop public information products which will assist with local, national and international reporting of air quality programs. The success of this approach is that it provides policy makers with scientific evidence to inform environmental decision-making while maintaining transparency through access to reliable data in an easily understood format via mainstream media channels using web technology.
The application allows integration across multiple platforms providing users with access to current data from third party sources such as BoM Weather or alerts so that people have up-to-date information on the condition of the air they breathe. It is now possible to access information about what you are breathing and weather conditions in one place.
AEMERA has been developed as a response to the increasing need for environmental management planning at multiple scales, from strategic regional planning down to local land use planning and site level decision making. The integration of technology with spatial information enables better management decisions by integrating environmental, socioeconomic and cultural factors into decision making processes that integrate public input with scientific evidence. AEMERA aims to achieve this through:
The integration of third party data sources (such as BoM Weather) provides users with up-to-date natural environment information such as wind speed/direction, rainfall, temperature and air quality which can then be used to access information about the condition of the air they breathe. The AEMERA application currently uses near real-time data from BoM’s Air Quality Forecasting system, as well as alerts from other sources such as CSIRO’s Air Pollution Information Monitoring Systems (APIMS) and Landcare Soil Moisture Network.
The integration of natural environment with social, economic and cultural factors provides a holistic approach to environmental management which is supported by evidence-based decision making processes that integrate public input with scientific evidence.