This map and report (cited below) present the results of research on the rate of change of native woody vegetation in the Central New South Wales wheatbelt. The study was carried out over three years and analysed vegetation change between the 1980s and 2000.

The project tested methods to map changes in native woody vegetation using direct visual inspection of readily available Landsat TM satellite imagery. NPWS mapping of native woody vegetation types within the wheatbelt provided the 1980s baseline information for the study. Clearing was identified on the satellite images and digitised. The resulting clearing maps were used to produce updated maps of remaining native woody vegetation for each monitoring period. Systematic validation of the mapping was done by comparison with specially flown, fine-scale aerial photography. Validation results showed that the mapping consistently and accurately distinguished between clearing and areas of no-change with typical accuracy rates of approximately 95%. (VIS_ID 1633; ANZNS0208000146)