Bioregionalisation of Eastern NSW - The Next Step After IBRA
		Paper by: Dr. Martin Denny Mount King Ecological Surveys "Oorong", Bathurst Road, Oberon NSW 2787 mtking@ozemail.com.au
	The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) developed by Environment Australia has provided a consistent description of biogeographic characteristics within Australia. Although the 17 IBRA Regions within NSW have been the basis for many broad assessments of a range of subjects ranging from species distribution to economic parameters, they can be considered too large to provide accurate assessments of ecological processes. Legislation has focused on the use of the IBRA Regions to provide 'regional assessments' of species and community distributions and status, but it is difficult to place the presence of a particular species within a small area into the context of a region that can be 35,862 km2 (Sydney Basin). In a project funded by the National Estate Grants through the National Parks Association, it was possible to break down the six IBRA Region for eastern NSW into a series of Sub-Regions and Provinces. This complements the system of bioregions established by Gethin Morgan for western NSW. The extent of each bioregion was determined using relief, altitude and surface geology (regolith). Information used in the project was supplied by a number of government agencies in a digitised format and modelling was undertaken using a geographic information system. There are 49 Sub-Regions and 92 Provinces within eastern NSW and the project provides information in a mapped format (digital and hardcopy) of each bioregion's location, distribution of soil types, geology, relief classes, regolith, modelled 1750 vegetation, present day cover and the amount conserved. Apart from the advantage of having a consistent system of the biological and physical characteristics of NSW that can be used for planning, including conservation planning, it is important that bioregions be established for the State. At present, NSW is the only state or territory within Australia without a systematic approach to bioregionalisation. The system presented here fills this gap.
Ecological Consultants Association of NSW Inc.