Pre-European Vegetation Mapping of Western Australia at 1:250,000 Scale

Approximately 30,000 polygons map the original natural vegetation of Western Australia prior to European settlement. The dataset was compiled from J.S. Beard's published and unpublished 1:250,000 scale mapping, covering 160 map sheets. It is accompanied by a detailed memoir describing each vegetation type.

Use Cases

• Analyze vegetation type distribution and composition across 30,000 polygons to study historical ecological patterns.
• Integrate polygon data with modern land-use maps to assess changes in vegetation coverage since European settlement.
• Use the 1:250,000 scale mapping as a foundational layer for regional environmental planning and conservation modeling.

Strengths

• Provides systematic coverage of 160 map sheets across Western Australia.
• Based on authoritative source mapping by J.S. Beard at a consistent 1:250,000 scale.
• Includes an explanatory memoir with descriptions for each mapped vegetation type.

Limitations

• Data for three map sheets in the south-west corner was compiled from other sources, introducing a potential methodological inconsistency.
• Represents a historical reconstruction (pre-European), not current ground conditions, which may limit direct contemporary application.
• The polygon-based data may require GIS expertise and specific tools for effective analysis and visualization.

Provenance

Source

J.S. Beard's published and unpublished 1:250,000 scale mapping; supplementary data from A.J.M. Hopkins for three sheets.

Collection Method

Digitized from original working drawings and published maps; compiled into a consistent geospatial format.

Time Range

Historical reconstruction of vegetation presumed to exist prior to European settlement.

Freshness

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Geography

Western Australia, covering approximately 160 map sheets at 1:250,000 scale.