Description:
Online Farm Trials is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia. The Online Farm Trials (OFT) project is funded and supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), and was initiated in 2013 with the aim of using the latest technology to improve access to, and adoption of, grains industry research data and information. Federation University Australia's Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation is leading the project to develop and deliver the OFT Trial Explorer, Report Library and other trial research resources. The project has a strong collaborative approach, working with a range of crop research groups, industry experts and grain industry organisations to ensure the outcomes are highly relevant, practical and beneficial. The Federation University Australia Spatial Online Farm Trials database includes: An accessible online digital library of national farm trial research reports and documents. Direct online access to trial research data in digital form with download capacity. Online analytical/decision tools for growers, agronomists and researchers. Linking of other sources of relevant data and information with trial research through interoperable systems. Increased networking and collaboration on cropping issues and farm trial research. The principle objective of the project is to help growers improve productivity and sustainability of their farm enterprise through improved access to trial research knowledge.
Description:
The Australian Geomechanics Society's (AGS) guidelines on Landslide Risk Management emphasise landslide zonation as a key requirement for regulators dealing with landslide risk (AGS 2007a). The basis for zonation is a landslide inventory which reflects the nature and spatial distribution of landslide types in a particular locale, such as a local government area. This paper describes the design and implementation of a web-based landslide database for south west Victoria aimed at disseminating landslide inventory information to regulators. consultants and the general public. Although the 4,581 mapped landslides represent the most complete and extensive data set for the region, the current data quality and resolution does not meet the AGS guideline for landslide zonation at the municipal planning scale. However, with an essential need for landslide planning controls in this region, the data is the best available for the construction of zonat ion maps, resulting in conservative boundaries at the required map scale. The paper highlights the ongoing need to improve the spatial extent and quality of the landslide database if the statutory planning zonation maps are ultimately to comply with the AGS guidelines.
Description:
DSM is a collaborative workspace for researchers working on digital soil mapping in Australia. This workspace is the initiative of the Advisory Group on Digital Soil Assessment, a working group of the National Committee on Soil & Terrain. The website is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni). The International Union of Soil Sciences Digital Soil Mapping Working Group defines DSM as "creation and the population of a geographically referenced soil database, generated at a given resolution by using field and laboratory observation methods coupled with environmental data through quantitative relationships." Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) utilises numerical methods and information technologies to produce predictive maps of soil types and their properties. DSM relies on traditional field mapping, observations and laboratory analyses for soil data but also utilises spatial models of landscape terrain and remotely-sensed properties. Typically numerical methods such as interpolation algorithms and data mining are used to create the maps. OzDSM in collaboration with CeRDI is developing a digital soil mapping tool, and a demonstrator version is displayed on the site. A range of data is included, such as nutrient budgets and soil pH, and with extra data available for the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority region including landslides, erosion and salinity.
Description:
Detailed soil data has been collected in the Corangamite region of south-east Australia for over 80 years, as a testament to the productive value of the region’s agricultural soils. Soil science over that period has resulted in soil maps, soil investigation sites and archival materials that provide valuable baseline data for the analysis of trends over time. This legacy data has been brought together with contemporary data in the award-winning Soil Health Knowledge Base, an Internet portal based on spatial data infrastructure that interoperably federates data (open data, research data, industry data, sensor data, legacy data, crowdsourced data … any available data). The portal provides the best available data sources for research and consulting, as well as functions for both the private reward and the public good. The ultimate intent is to provide timely decision support for agricultural enterprises and catchment managers to protect, enhance and restore soil health.
Description:
The Corangamite Corangamite soil health knowledge base is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia. The Corangamite soil health knowledge base is a collaborative research project between the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni). The aim of the research is to develop a comprehensive, informative, intuitive-to-use knowledge base of soil health information that will assist the broader community to respect the values of the soils of the Corangamite region. The project was initiated in June 2013. The research is overseen by the Corangamite CMA Land Health Program Steering Committee. The role of the committee in the project is to advise on the function, use and relevance of the data and information sources in the knowledge base, which is an online repository of soil health information and knowledge: including reports, research papers, maps and descriptions related to current and past soil series mapping, land capability and suitability assessments, agricultural trials, and soil research and investigations. Soil health studies in the Corangamite region date from 1936. The most recent document to revisit soil health issues in the Corangamite region is Soils Vision: A 20-year plan to improve broad-acre agricultural soils in south west Victoria, known as the 'south west agricultural soils plan' (SWASP). This community-led initiative brought together a collaboration of farming groups, agricultural industries, government agencies and research institutions to identify the activities required to improve the condition of soils used for agriculture in South West Victoria. The goal of this project is to provide the essential background knowledge required to implement the appropriate SWASP soil health actions customised for each of the 15 Local Catchment Plans in the Corangamite region. Project aim and research questions The overall aim this project is to develop a comprehensive, informative, intuitive-to-use knowledge base of soil health information that will assist the broader community implement the SWASP within the LCPs of the Corangamite region. To achieve this, the following key questions emerge: What information exists and how relevant is it to the current soil health issues? How reliable is the information and to which landscapes does it apply? How can the relevant soil health information be best maintained and disseminated?
Description:
Online Farm Trials (OFT) (www.farmtrials.com.au) is a free web-based resource and trial discovery system that contains more than 7,100 trials from 76 different organisations from across Australia. Since its inception in 2013, OFT has developed via a collaborative approach with grower groups, research organisations, agricultural experts and grains industry organisations. This ensures the outcomes are highly relevant, practical and beneficial for growers. Users can view, analyse and export grains research data as well as compare trials based upon historical, geographic and crop-specific search filters. Current developments include seasonally relevant collections of trials to highlight priority topics and aid on-farm decision making. To meet the future needs of industry stakeholders, system developments are planned to include expanded trial research information access, foster innovation through publishing and promoting active trials and enhance trial data standards and quality. **Please note that there are multiple Federation University authors for this article, including the name of the first 5 and also including “Rob Milne, Julie Parker, Helen Thompson, Judi Walters and Ben Wills" is provided in this record**
Description:
Online Farm Trials (OFT) (www.farmtrials.com.au) is a free web-based resource and trial discovery system that contains more than 7,100 trials from 76 different organisations from across Australia. Since its inception in 2013, OFT has developed via a collaborative approach with grower groups, research organisations, agricultural experts and grains industry organisations. This ensures the outcomes are highly relevant, practical and beneficial for growers. Users can view, analyse and export grains research data as well as compare trials based upon historical, geographic and crop-specific search filters. Current developments include seasonally relevant collections of trials to highlight priority topics and aid on-farm decision making. To meet the future needs of industry stakeholders, system developments are planned to include expanded trial research information access, foster innovation through publishing and promoting active trials and enhance trial data standards and quality. **Please note that there are multiple Federation University authors for this article, including the name of the first 5 and also including “Rob Milne, Julie Parker, Helen Thompson, Judi Walters and Ben Wills" is provided in this record**
Description:
Fire and Emergency Management Planning is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia. The site provides comprehensive information on the fire and emergency management planning activities being undertaken at the state, regional and municipal levels. The range of data displayed includes location of forestry plantations and public land; planning, political and agency boundaries; fire incident data; and meteorological data. Federation University Australia's Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation is leading the project on behalf of Emergency Management Victoria. In addition, the Barwon South West Interoperable Spatial Knowledge Base is an Integrated Fire Management Planning (IFMP) initiative, administered by the Barwon South West Regional Strategic Fire Management Planning Committee on behalf of the Victorian State Fire Management Planning Committee. This collaborative project utilises existing data plus open source data overlayed on asset landscapes in order to provide the most current relevant information, including fire risk data, in a manner that supports the community to develop their integrated regional and local fire management plans.
Description:
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Knowledge Base is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia. The site provides an extensive collection of publications and Datasets on all aspects of the catchment. The collection focuses on information written specifically for the Corangamite Region. The database has been indexed by subject and locality for information retrieval and analysis. Federation University Australia's Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation is hosting the site on behalf of the CCMA. The Federation University Australia Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Knowledge Base was established to ensure the protection and sustainable development of land, vegetation and water resources within a boundary stretching from Geelong to Ballarat and along the coast to Peterborough. About 380,000 people live in the catchment's 13,340 square kilometres of south-western Victoria and 175 kilometres of coastal fringe. The region is defined by four river basins - the Moorabool, Barwon, Lake Corangamite and Otway Coast. It includes all or part of the cities of Ballarat and Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliff and the shires of Moorabool, Surf Coast, Corangamite, Golden Plains, Colac Otway and Moyne. Related initiatives include Soil Health, an online repository of soil health information and knowledge: including reports, research papers, maps and descriptions related to current and past soil series mapping, land capability and suitability assessments, agricultural trials, and soil research and investigations; and, NRM Planning, a pilot project testing how online mapping can be used to match local and regional priorities for catchment management in the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority region.
Description:
SWIFFT is a combined initiative between the community, conservation, education and government sectors.It aims to advance citizen science through facilitating awareness, information and knowledge sharing in relation to biodiversity and threatened species across Victoria and south-eastern Australia. SWIFFT actively encourages contributions from members of the community, conservationists, field naturalists, farmers, land carers, researchers, scientists, management agencies and environmental consultants. SWIFFT is a place for community members to share projects, activities, outcomes, current events and ideas, and to access information from experts in their field. It is also a place to share images of biodiversity projects, species and habitats or go to find out about these things - helping to build a more informed community. SWIFFT is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation(CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni). Project aim: Key aims of SWIFFT are to build community awareness and understanding of biodiversity and threatened species through sharing information about biodiversity or threatened species projects. Sharing project information can: assist others undertaking similar projects, or those considering starting a project provide opportunities to link science/research with projects increase community understanding and support for biodiversity and threatened species
Description:
Natural Resource Management (NRM) is often conducted as a partnership between government and citizens. In Australia, government agencies formulate policy and fund implementation that may be delivered on-ground by community groups (such as Landcare). Since the late 1980s, over AUS$8b of Commonwealth investment has been made in NRM. However, quantitative evidence of environmental improvements is lacking. The NRM Planning Portal has been developed to (1) provide an online spatial information system for sharing Landcare and agency data; and (2) to facilitate NRM priority setting at local and regional planning scales. While the project successfully federates Landcare NRM activity data, challenges included (1) unstructured, non-standardized data, meaning that quantitative reporting against strategic objectives is not currently possible, and (2) a lack of common understanding about the value proposition for adopting the portal approach. Demonstrating the benefit of technology adoption is a key lesson for digital NRM planning.
Description:
Natural Resource Management (NRM) is often conducted as a partnership between government and citizens. In Australia, government agencies formulate policy and fund implementation that may be delivered on-ground by community groups (such as Landcare). Since the late 1980s, over AUS$8b of Commonwealth investment has been made in NRM. However, quantitative evidence of environmental improvements is lacking. The NRM Planning Portal has been developed to (1) provide an online spatial information system for sharing Landcare and agency data; and (2) to facilitate NRM priority setting at local and regional planning scales. While the project successfully federates Landcare NRM activity data, challenges included (1) unstructured, non-standardized data, meaning that quantitative reporting against strategic objectives is not currently possible, and (2) a lack of common understanding about the value proposition for adopting the portal approach. Demonstrating the benefit of technology adoption is a key lesson for digital NRM planning.
Description:
Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater (VVG) is an interoperative web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia that federates groundwater data from disparate sources to assist groundwater researchers and help water managers make the correct choices for the sustainable use of a precious resource. The Visualising Victoria's Groundwater web-portal currently displays data for all of Victoria from the following sources: • Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) • Water Measurement Information System (WMIS) - formerly GMS • Victorian Aquifer Framework (VAF) • Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (EcoDev) • Seamless Geology • Geological Exploration and Development Information System (GEDIS) • Salinity bore database from Future Farming Systems Research (FFSR) • Federation University Australia (FedUni) • Groundwater research bores and other bores not recorded elsewhere (UB Spatial/FedUni Spatial) • Victorian Mineral Water Committee (VMWC) • Victorian Mineral Springs database (VMSD) • Environmental Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) • Certificates and statements of environmental audit (EPA audit reports) • Groundwater quality restricted use zones (GQRUZs) in Victoria • Priority Sites Register (PSR) for Victoria The quality of the bore data varies greatly. Note that bore records may be duplicated in the databases or between the databases, the locations may be wrong, data may be missing and sometimes data may be wrong. For this reason, the emphasis in the data collection has been to refer each record to its original source and link to the original source material where available. Over time it is proposed to edit each individual bore in the database to verify and clean the data where possible. As a general rule, bores in the State Observation Bore network (SOBN) within the WMIS, groundwater research bores managed by the University and the Mineral Springs have the most complete and accurate data. Key features of the VVG portal are:
Description:
The Corangamite NRM Planning Portal has been developed to support the creation of local catchment plans in the Corangamite region. It is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia. The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA), in collaboration with the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation(CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni), the Woady Yaloak Catchment Group (WYCG) and the Surf Coast and Inland Plains Network (SCIPN) is undertaking this pilot project to develop Local Catchment Plans for catchment management in the Corangamite region. This pilot project is testing how online mapping can be used to match local and regional priorities for catchment management in the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority region. The objective is to empower Landcare networks, community groups and stakeholders with the capability to identify ‘joint priorities’ for progressing in partnership. The project also provides access to a considerable knowledge base of spatial data, information and knowledge, to assist stakeholders in setting their local priorities. Project aim The primary aim is to spatially overlay local and regional natural resource management (NRM) priorities to identify ‘joint priorities’ for potential partnership and investment. The initial tasks of developing local priorities was undertaken by the respective Networks and included participation by around 100 community members at each Network to identify 5-6 year Strategic Plans. The collaborators have the common aim of building web-based tools for the CMA community to easily access the most current environmental datasets applicable to integrated catchment management and modelling. The projects promote the sharing of knowledge and information through the internet, allowing people to gain insights, present ideas, advice and information in a friendly and easy to use format, available at people’s convenience. It allows the Corangamite CMA community to grow their knowledge and share their thoughts and enthusiasm for their landscapes. It will also help guide groups and individuals to develop on-ground action plans through the provision of standardised templates and authoritative advice on a range of matters in catchment management, agricultural soil management, nature conservation and on-ground activities.