Example 1
Reserve design in Northern Territory

Introduction
Much of northern Australia is biologically unknown compared with eastern and southern Australia, and less than 0.2% of the Northern Territory landscape has been substantially modified, compared with between 32-69% in other Australian states. This provides a unique opportunity to assess the flora and fauna communities that are likely to be similar to pre-European occupation of the area. With increasing economic development, there is a need to document the biological diversity and to monitor changes in the environment in relation to increasing land-use pressures.

Description of project
A comprehensive database of all biological records of plants and animals was established for the whole of the Northern Territory. This included data from a wide range of sources including formal surveys, museum records, journal articles and anecdotal observations.

Mathematical models and software have been developed using existing records. Modelling is then used to work out the reserve system that would protect the maximum amount of biodiversity in the Northern Territory. This required an analysis of the representativeness of the existing national park system. A benchmark was set for the reservation of 5% of all classes (i.e. vegetation types).

A mathematical model and software were developed (see weblinks below for links to software) to discover the most effective and cost-efficient method of prioritising areas to be included into the national park system.

Outcome of project
The Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory, through their Parks Master Plan, adopted the findings of this research. Without fauna and flora surveys, this systematic assessment would have been impossible. The surveys done in the past, along with historical information, provided the basis for such a process. Reserve selection in the past had been done in a much more ad hoc manner.

For more information

Recommended readings Price, O., Woinarski, J.C.Z., Liddle, D. & Russell-Smith, J. (1995). Patterns of species composition and reserve design for a fragmented estate: monsoon rainforests in the Northern Territory. Biological Conservation 74:9-19. Woinarski, J.C.Z., Price, O. & Faith, D. (1996). Application of a taxon priority system for conservation planning by selecting areas which are most distinct from environments already reserved. Biological Conservation 76: 147-159.

weblinks 1.http://www.biodiversity.environment.gov.au/ protecte/nrs/nrsindex.htm Home page for the National Reserve System Program of Environment Australia. Outline of all the projects currently funded by the program. A good overview of an enormous scope in developing a cohesive approach to national parks across Australia. 2. http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mbedward/ coda/coda.html Home page of the software designer for the design of the national park reserve system in the Northern Territory.