Introduced Species and Foreshore Condition in the Southern NRM Region

This dataset is part of the assessment and mapping of foreshore value, condition and pressure in the Southern Natural Resource Management (NRM) Region of Tasmania. The 17 line maps produced in this study are intended to be used as a tool to assist managers and stakeholders in the identification of management issues with regards to foreshore planning, development, and natural resources. Assessment of the foreshore is based on the division of the high water line into 100m segments. Using a decision matrix and rule set, each foreshore segment is assigned a score for three main components: fields, attributes and indices. Segments are colour coded based on their attribute or index score to reflect the differing levels of overall natural value, human use value, condition, pressure or components thereof. This digital line map is a representation of the foreshore condition with regards to the presence/absence of introduced marine species and beach weeds on foreshores in the southern NRM region and is an attribute layer supporting the Condition Index. Foreshore condition with regards to introduced species is assessed based on the number of introduced species known or likely to be present within a segment, as well as habitat type, proximity to existing known populations and the condition of adjacent vegetation. Species considered are Carcinus maenas, Crassostrea gigas, Spartina anglica, Undaria pinnatifida, Ammophila arenaria, Euphorbia paralias, Thinopyrum junceiforme, Ehrharta villosa and Arctotheca populifolia. An explanatory report is available from the data custodian which provides detailed methodology and further explanation of the dataset.