Kilter Rural - Girgarre.

Vegetation Asset Account.

Environmental Account: AU00018
Environmental Asset: Native Vegetation
Asset Account ID: AU00018V1
Registration date: 23 December 2020
Certification date: 22 October 2024
Certification level: Independent Audit
Purpose: Support investor reporting and regenerative land management decisions
Current land use: Agricultural
Area: 1,951 ha
Method: AfN-METHOD-NV-05

Asset Account snapshot.

Asset summary - baseline.

Asset statement.

  • 23 December 2020 - Registration date

  • 27 April 2022 - Certification date - AfN - Verified

  • 23 March 2023 - Annual Certification Compliance Report (ACCR) -

    Flooding in 2022 impacted an estimated 60% of the native vegetation footprint in the Girgarre Project area. Assessments are continuing but prolonged inundation impacted young native seedlings that had germinated in the first 2 years of the project. Flooding also impacted cropland which could impact soil condition. Measurements at both Native Vegetation and Soil sites are ongoing.

  • 12 April 2024 - Annual Certification Compliance Report (ACCR)

    No significant event or material change in land use was reported or identified.

Significant Outcomes.

The Native Vegetation Econd® at the Girgarre (ID AU00018) increased by 12% from the 2021 baseline, rising to 3.7 from 3.3. This improvement results from enhanced compositional aspects of native vegetation, despite the NV Extent declining from 18.1% to 15.4% due to the purchase of additional agricultural properties. The core of this increase lies in the aggregated compositional component of NV condition, which grew by 60%, from 18 to 24 (out of 100). This improvement is driven by increases in understory structure, species richness, and recruitment, likely enhanced by direct seeding efforts since 2020, despite challenges from flooding in late 2022.

The most significant improvement in sub-asset Econd® characterised by vegetation type (EVC) was seen in the Plains Grassy Woodland, which increased to 8.2 from 5.4. The Econd® for Plains Woodland, the largest EVC by area (60%), slightly increased from 2.8 to 2.9. Substantial quality improvements were observed in both low (from 15 to 21) and medium (from 24 to 31) condition categories, based on average survey site data. Analysis of the compositional component at individual survey sites showed material improvement in 17 sites (63%), moderate improvement in 7 sites (26%), and decline in just 3 sites (11%).

Limitations & disclosures.

Hybrid Method for Data Collection- The method for constructing this NV Asset Account combines site-level and transect surveys to balance repeatability (belt transect) and coverage (traditional HH site survey). Scoring selectively uses parameters from each survey type, resulting in not all data being utilised. Visual improvements in site condition are reflected in condition scoring through dynamic elements like understory structure, richness, and recruitment. Variable elements like site weediness and litter do not detract from overall trends in condition improvement.

Changes Relative to 2021- This account includes natural adjustments to the Asset accounting area, a slight net increase in the native vegetation footprint, and refinement in mapping native vegetation extent. The proportional decline in current native vegetation extent is offset by the increase in quality of the existing extent. Changes to the accounting area and vegetation footprint are important for presenting Econd® changes using AfN-METHOD-NV-05. Future purposes may require more granular Econd® for fixed spatial entities like properties, paddocks, or native vegetation entities.

Increased Sampling Intensities- A significant improvement in the 2023 account is the increased sampling intensities to enhance overall account accuracy and property representation. Despite adding a net three sampling locations, re-assigning a generalised condition category for one site, and adjusting configuration indicators for a few survey locations, these changes have minimal impact on the farmland Econd®, with effects within the expected margin of error.

Other Environmental Assets.

Learn more about other Environmental Assets in this Environmental Account.