We need your help! Mapping our old trees of central Victoria
Posted on 28 February, 2023 by Ivan
We are excited to announce the arrival of our new mapping portal, that aims to assist community citizen scientists to map the old, and often large, trees of central Victoria. The interactive mapping portal is part of Connecting Country’s larger project, ‘Regenerate before it’s too late‘ which aims to engage the community on the importance of old trees across the landscape and how to protect them. Within the mapping portal you will also find an updated species list that will assist with the identification process of the large old trees.
Over the next three years (2023 – 2025), we will continue to host community workshops and develop engagement resources such as the mapping portal and a video. We will also work with local landholders to implement practical on-ground actions to protect their large old trees and ensure the next generation of large old trees across the landscape.
The community, including landholders, Landcarers and land managers, will be vital in mapping their favourite old trees across our region. Anyone can access Connecting Country’s new online mapping portal. The portal uses BioCollect, an advanced but simple-to-use data collection tool developed by the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) and its collaborators. BioCollect helps users collect field biodiversity data for their own projects, while allowing the data to be easily copied into the ALA, where it can be publicly available for others to use in research, policy and management. This allows individual projects to collectively contribute to a larger science database.
We need your help!
The mapping portal is now open for any community member to record the old trees in your area. You will need to register with the Atlas of Living Australia (its easy and free), then upload a photo and enter the field details needed for the survey. The portal will ask you simple questions about the tree location, size, species, age (if known), health status and habitat value.
To record your large old tree, or view the field survey questions and required measurements – click here
By recording large old trees you will help build our understanding of the large old trees in our region, and contribute to the largest biodiversity database in our country. As the database grows, you can also access the portal to learn about other wonderful large old trees in our area and view the photos.
Trees can be tricky to identify, especially eucalypts. If you are unsure about the identification of the tree species, you can:
- Use the to iNaturalist app to assist with identification – click here
- Refer to a good guidebook, like those published by Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests – click here
- Visit the Castlemaine Flora website – click here
Euan, Jenny and Peter with a large old tree (photo by Beth Mellick)
We are most grateful for our generous project support from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation. The foundation aims ‘To encourage and support organisations that are capable of responding to social and ecological opportunities and challenges.’ To learn more about Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation – click here
Hi there, i have grown up on Jarra country and have knowledge of our bush land, I am also an arborist and have a strong passion for trees. if i can be of assistance please get in touch.
wonderful Bill!!! thanks for touching base. Do you have any old trees in mind, that you would like to put on the interactive map? Would be great if you had some photos, location and measurements? cheers
Hi I have friends at Axedale who would like participate – are they in the area? When we put in coordinates it says we are outside the area? Thx
We have 2 old tress on the farm in Baringhup, I’m happy for someone to
Map it and go the work, I really can assist and learn what to
Do but don’t have the time at this point taking on another job.
Thanks Kim. Great to hear you have some old trees. We don’t have any staff time in this project for that activity, but we will ask our volunteers if anyone is interested in helping you. We really just need a few photos, and a few measurements and the species.
Re: Mapping our old trees of central Victoria
Hello good to see the mapping old tree project up and running, I am keen to contribute. I have viewed the Atlas of Living Australia portal for uploading photos and recording data. However, I am wondering if Atlas of Living Australia has an iPhone app I could use to do this and save double handling. I had a look myself on the App Store but cant seem to find an AOLA app? Do you know if there is one, or can the iNaturalist app be used also for the project? Sorry about all the questions, Tim 04229381`52
thanks Tim, Ive sent you an email, but in summary you can download biocollect to use for ALA mapping:
https://www.ala.org.au/biocollect-mobile-apps/