A National Weeds Distribution Database

2010 Jan 26 09:35 NZDT

This is to bring you up to date with an initiative that's been in gestation for
quite a while ...

Jerry Cooper (Landcare Research), Julian Carver (Seradigm), Graham Bourdot
(AgResearch), Richard Bowman (Environment Southland), and Michael Browne (ex
Global Invasive Species Database) are about to start a  short scoping study,
jointly funded by Envirolink and TFBIS, to  look at the development of a
National Weeds Distribution Database (NWDD), dynamically maintained from the
numerous datasets distributed amongst local government and national agencies.

The scoping study builds on a previous Envirolink report prepared by Britta
Basse of Canterbury University, together with a steering group with broad
representation. Britta's report is about to be uploaded onto the Envirolink
website (not there yet) ...
http://www.envirolink.govt.nz/Envirolink-reports/

Below is background information extracted from an abstract Graham Bourdot and I
have submitted for the NETS 2010 conference of the New Zealand Biosecurity
Institute:

ABSTRACT

A national weeds distribution database (NWDD) documenting the occurrences of
weeds across New Zealand's landscape is necessary firstly for prioritising
species for management under schemes such as the National Pest Plant Accord,
National Interest Pest Response and Regional Pest Management Strategies. Such a
database would enable prioritisation by facilitating the comparison of modelled
potential future distributions (as is being made possible through the research
programmes Undermining Weeds and Beating Weeds II) with current distributions.
Secondly, the database would enable measurement of the outcomes of management
by enabling the comparison of current and historical distributions of the
target species.

The value of such a national database, which would essentially make existing
regional weed occurrence databases nationally available through one web-based
system, was recognised by New Zealand's regional councils in a recent
feasibility study funded by an Envirolink Medium Advice Grant (Basse et al.
2008). Its value will increase with time as naturalisations from the pool of
ca. 24,000 exotic plant species continue unabated (Gatehouse 2009) and the task
of deciding which species to manage becomes increasingly more complicated.
Further progress towards the database has included presentation of a case to
the Biosecurity Managers Group in May 2009, establishment of a Steering Group
in August 2009 with representation from key stakeholder organisations (DOC,
Regional Councils, MAF BNZ, Future Forest Research) and the securing by this
group in November 2009 of funding (Envirolink Medium Advice Grant and TIFBIS)
for a scoping study to be completed by 31 May 2010.

The scoping study will develop a costed implementation plan for the NWDD,
together with possible governance and long term support options. The study will
be developed through consultation with data providers, both in local government
and national agencies. We will take into account both the diversity of data
available, and the diversity of current data management practices. We will
incorporate the outline of a national information framework necessary to
maintain an up-to-date NWDD, with both current and historical data from
multiple sources, together with the necessary linkages to emerging decision
support systems providing accessibility to the spectrum of end-users.

References

Basse B, Bourd, Brown J, Lamoureaux S 2008. New Zealand national weeds
distribution database: a feasibility study - Report for Environment Southland,
Envirolink medium advice 499-ESRC212. Christchurch, University of Canterbury.
Pp. 17.

Gatehouse H 2009. Ecology of the naturalisation and geographic distribution of
the non-indigenous seed plant species of New Zealand. PhD, Lincoln, 159 p.