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Land evaluation standards for land resource mapping: assessing land qualities and determining land capability in sw Australia

3^rd edition

Resource Management Technical Report no 298

Replaces Resource Management technical report 181

Dennis van Gool, Peter Tille and Geoff Moore

December 2005

Please note that this file has been saved with images at a low resolution for the convenience of retrieval over the Internet and for ease of downloading has been divided into four parts.

Contents

• Introduction [823Kb PDF file]
• Assessment of land qualities [662Kb PDF file]
• Land capability assessment [372Kb PDF file]
• References
• Acknowledgements
• Appendices [938Kb PDF file]

Why this report has been updated

This report has been updated to include developments in the Department of Agricultures map unit database. Apart from minor edits the main inclusions are:

1. A description of zone land units used in the agricultural region of WA
2. A greater range of land quality code values for existing land qualities
3. New land qualities for trafficability and soil absorption ability
4. Inclusion of land characteristics that are measurable, or can be derived (Appendix 1)
5. Updated capability ratings tables and description of two methods for displaying proportional mapping in the section about land capability
6. Inclusion of soil group selections for pines (Pinus pinaster).

This form of information was first published in 1998. The map unit database is constantly undergoing changes due to new information and improved methods for assessment (e.g. access to more remotely-sensed information such as digital elevation models, faster computers and improved assessment techniques). There is also a gradual introduction of more quantitative measures. It is not possible to complete a final definitive report. This is now a third, revised edition of the original publication. It is a detailed description of zone land units, land characteristics, land qualities and land capability in the Department of Agricultures map unit database at the date of publication.

Flexibility in the compilation and use of digital data is an advantage to researchers and those simply seeking information. However it can be a disadvantage when the degree of flexibility and uncertainty, typical of natural resource information, is not understood by legalistic planning processes. This report tries to document the underlying assumptions so that the scope for the mapping can be better assessed by those using the information. Although technological advances are improving the accuracy of the information presented, scale limitations associated with the original surveys mean that uncertainty remains in any derived maps or tables. The cost of reducing this uncertainty to a negligible amount is prohibitive because soils vary often over only a few metres or less. Feedback from those using the information can ensure that the best information is presented for a given situation. It also means that the underlying information continues to be improved. There are many instances when an incorrect looking map can be fixed up or simply presented differently to still give useful information.

Page created: 20 January 2006