Geodiversity is fundamental to the integrity of broader ecological processes. It is also important in contributing to the richness and interest of our environment and in providing opportunities for scientific study of the earth's development.
Some elements of geodiversity are relatively robust in the face of human intervention; others are susceptible to degradation associated with a range of land use practices. An effective approach to geoconservation must include the development and implementation of protective management principles designed specifically to protect the vulnerable elements of geodiversity.
This database is a digital polygon coverage of Tasmania (captured at 1:100000 scale) detailing geological, geomorphological, and soil sites of conservation and heritage value. Geoconservation sites are given a unique code and the relevant National Estate values and criteria. The coverage also has an attached relate file detailing name of site, mapsheet on which site is located, size classification of site, sensitivity of the site to impacts, conservation status, National Estate status, National Estate criteria against which the site has been assessed etc.
National Estate criteria against which Geoconservation sites can be assessed include:
A1: Importance in the evolution of Australian flora, fauna, landscapes or climate.
A2: Importance in maintaining existing processes or natural systems at the regional or national scale.
A3: Importance in exhibiting unusual richness or diversity of flora, fauna, landscapes or cultural features.
B1: Importance for rare, endangered or uncommon flora, fauna, communities, ecosystems, natural landscapes or phenomena, or as wilderness.
C1: Importance for information contributing to a wider understanding of Australian natural history, by virtue of its use as a research site, teaching site, type locality, reference or benchmark site.
C2: Importance for information contributing to a wider understanding of the history of human occupation of Australia.
D1: Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of the range of human activities in the Australian environment.
H1: Importance for close associations with individuals whose activities have been significant within the history of the nation, State or region.
This is an archived dataset jointly owned by the Commonwealth and the Tasmanian Governments under the Tasmania-Commonwealth Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) data agreement of 8th November 1997.This data is available to the public under licence from the Department as part of the Commonwealth Spatial Data Access and Pricing Policy.
Any reproduction of this dataset must carry the following statement:
Copyright Commonwealth of Australia and Tasmanian Government 1997-1999.
Departmental Deed