Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Northern Australia floodplain and coastal wetlands Max Finlayson National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research Darwin, NT

Northern Australia floodplain and coastal wetlands Aim Participation Geographic Region / Location Data sources / Scale Components Next steps

Aim Provide information on the floodplain and coastal ecosystems and their services at multiple scales and taking into account multiple pressures

Geographic Region / Location Northern Australia – east of Darwin Coastal biogeographic region Alligator Rivers – km 2 Catchments of three rivers Kakadu National Park – World Heritage & Ramsar listed

Geographic Region / Location

Participation Discussed through existing panels, boards Biophysical scientists Social scientists Management agencies Local community / indigenous Private sector

Data sources Information derived from current or planned projects Biophysical features – extensive; ready access Social/cultural features – extensive; discuss access Floodplain services – variable; derived from biophysical data and managers Pressures – extensive analyses; risk assessments underway

Scale Biogeographical or catchment scale 1: to 1: Catchment scales 1: to 1: Habitats / river reaches 1:10 000

Components Inventory/mapping – GIS multiple scale Floodplain services – indigenous, biodiversity, tourism, recreation (fish stocks, mitigation of climate change, cattle grazing) Risk assessment of major pressures – invasive species, water pollution, infrastructure, burning, climate change

10 Basic (Core) dataset stored in Database with GIS Interface Location; physico-chemical and biological features (ecological character); land tenure; land use; management issues and threats... Level 4 Wetland habitat Location; altitude; area; land systems; climate; hydrology; vegetation Level 2 Wetland region 1: Location; physico-chemical and biological features; classification; jurisdiction; ecosystem services Level 3 Wetland complex 1: Hierarchical approach to wetland inventory Geology; climate; landcover Level 1 River basin or island 1: Scale (nominal)

The Risk Assessment Framework The Risk Assessment Framework (modified from van Dam et al. 1999; Ramsar 2000)

Major pressures

Major pressures – insidious effects of climate change

Next steps Further consultation – with participants, advisors and stakeholders Collation / analysis – based on previous and current projects Communication – discussing and finalising analyses and outcomes

Thank you