Vegetation Structure, Diversity and Cover Monitoring Guide
Photo Point Monitoring
At the start of each monitoring transect, take two photographs in each cardinal direction (north, east, south and west), one looking straight out (i.e. forwards) to capture mid-storey and understory vegetation, and another facing into the canopy. Where possible, take the photos at a time of day that minimises glare.
Vegetation Cover Monitoring
Monitor vegetation cover from the centre point of a 20 m radius circular plot. Standing in the centre of the plot, visually estimate the percentage cover of each vegetation strata layer of native and exotic species.
1. Measure canopy cover: percentage of the ground that would be shaded by vegetation at midday including weeds. Use ‘cleared’ if this stratum is absent.
| Cleared | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
2. Canopy weed %: this is to gauge the percentage of shading provided by weeds in highest strata.
| 0% | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
3. Total mid-storey density vegetation including weeds
| Cleared | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
4. Mid-storey weed cover: percentage of the mid-storey that is weeds.
| 0% | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
5. Total ground cover: ground covered by grass, herbs, ferns and other plants up to 30cm high, including weeds. Use ‘cleared’ if the ground is bare dirt, gravel/boulder, bedrock etc and use ‘comments’ to describe.
| Cleared | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
6. Ground cover weed coverage: percentage of the groundcover that is weeds. If dominated by native or exotic grasses use ‘pasture’.
| Cleared | <25% | 25-50% | 51-75% | 76-100% |
|---|
7. Evidence of native regeneration?
| Yes | No |
|---|
Additionally, if you are able to, collate a list of flora species or functional groups and note if the species are native or exotic. This will help you to identify if floristic diversity is changing in response to your management interventions.
Vegetation Monitoring Data Sheet Example
| Site Name | Canopy Cover (%) | Exotic Canopy Cover (%) | Mid-storey Cover (%) | Exotic mid-storey cover (%) | Ground Cover (%) | Exotic Ground Cover (%) | Native regeneration (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|