11Meaning of ecosystem condition, indicator and sub-indicator

11 Meaning of ecosystem condition, indicator and sub-indicator

(1) In this instrument, the ecosystem condition of an activity area or sub-area is the quality of its ecosystem, measured in in terms of its biotic and abiotic characteristics, in comparison with the reference ecosystem for the activity area or sub-area.

Note: The ecosystem condition of an activity area at the beginning of the replanting project is categorised by the starting ecosystem condition state—see section 12

(2) In this instrument, the changes in the ecosystem condition of an activity area are measured by changes in the values of each of the following indicators for the ecosystem condition: (a) canopy height of native vegetation (in metres); (b) crown cover from native plants in the canopy layer (as a percentage); (c) crown cover from native plants in the mid-storey layer (as a percentage); (d) crown cover from plants in the canopy layer provided by non-native plants (as a percentage); (e) crown cover from plants in the mid-storey layer provided by non-native plants (as a percentage); (f) ground cover from sub-category A1, A2 and A3 plants as a proportion of total ground cover from category A plants; (g) ground cover from sub-category A4 and A5 plants as a proportion of total ground cover from category A plants; (h) native species richness index by life form (native tree, shrub, vine, grass and herbaceous vascular plant species other than grasses). (3) For the purposes of setting benchmark values, and comparing against benchmark values, the following sub-indicators are used in place of the index mentioned in paragraph (2)(h): (a) number of native tree species; (b) number of shrub species; (c) number of native vine species; (d) number of native grass species; (e) number of native herbaceous vascular plant species other than grasses. (4) In this instrument, a reference to an indicator or sub-indicator is a reference to: (a) an indicator mentioned in subsection (2) other than the index mentioned in paragraph (2)(h); or (b) a sub-indicator.