This web site contains the results of a project that aimed to document all terrestrial biological surveys in the Pilbara.
The then Department of Resources Development, now part of the Department of Industry and Resources (DOIR), required a review of all environmental survey work carried out in the Pilbara biogeographical region (as defined by Environment Australia (2000) in the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia). The review aimed to identify and document all studies on flora, vegetation (encompassing mangroves), vertebrate and invertebrate fauna which have been conducted both on offshore islands as well as the mainland. Biota Environmental Sciences undertook this work on behalf of the DOIR, on behalf of the Pilbara Iron-Ore Environmental Committee.
During this first phase of the project, 789 reports have been identified, of which 200 have been sourced and metadata statements completed. Forty-nine contacts have been identified and the majority have had details completed. This data and information has been collated using the Spatial Metadata Management System (SMMS), which stores the information in a Microsoft Access database. It is envisaged that there are a number of reports in addition to these identified that have not yet been sighted. It is estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500 relevant reports exist for this project.
The Management Committee for the project recommended that the database be provided to the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM; now Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, DBCA) as the custodian. The Committee also recommended that the database be deployed on-line through the Herbarium’s FloraBase infrastructure, free of charge to the public. This web site is a pilot project of this deployment, and contains basic searchable functionality as a proof of concept.
The database contains almost 800 records. For more information, contact the Custodian Stephen van Leeuwen, or Piers Higgs at Gaia Resources. A paper detailing the project has been published in The Journal of The Royal Society of Western Australia, volume 88.
