The national and regional planning framework for the systematic development of a comprehensive, adequate and representative ‘CAR’ National Reserve System is provided by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA). IBRA is endorsed by all levels of government as a key tool for identifying land for conservation under Australia’s Strategy for the National Reserve System 2009-2030.
IBRA is updated as improved spatial mapping and information on vegetation communities and ecosystems becomes available from state and territory agencies. In this respect, between 2009 and 2012 Auricht Projects coordinated the development of the IBRA 7 update, and managed access and licensing arrangements with jurisdictions. The latest version addressed cross-border edge matching issues and stardardised naming conventions. A framework for standardised attribution and descriptions was also developed under the project – the latter having already been implemented some jurisdictions.