Methods for mapping areas important for biodiversity

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Methods for mapping areas important for biodiversity

Project start date: 01/01/2023
Project end date: 30/09/2025
NESP funding: $130,000 (GST-exclusive)

Australia has committed to protecting 30% of its lands and seas by 2030 – the ‘30-by-30’ target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – with an emphasis on protecting areas important for biodiversity. But how do we know which areas are important for biodiversity?

There are several ways of identifying and defining important areas. This project is evaluating these methods to determine which is the most effective and will demonstrate how these methods can identify areas important for biodiversity.
Aerial view of Arthur river at Tarkine forest in Tasmania, Australia
Areas important for biodiversity are a priority for protection. Image: dudlajzov/Adobe Stock.

The project assessed available methods for identifying and defining areas in Australia that are important for biodiversity, including their strengths, limitations and relevance to national, state and territory policy needs.

It also demonstrated how prioritisation methods and existing biodiversity data can be used to identify areas important for biodiversity. This synthesis helps inform a national approach and shows how areas important for biodiversity can support protected-area planning and broader biodiversity policy.

Key research areas

This project:

reviewed possible mapping methods for identifying areas important for biodiversity
assessed how these methods align with global requirements and state and territory approaches
demonstrated how existing biodiversity data can support biodiversity-prioritisation methods
summarised how these approaches can help ensure protected areas are representative of Australia’s diverse landscapes and seascapes.