be very difficult to demonstrate the link and any progress towards the programme outcome resulting from the activities. Table 3 Measuring progress using intermediate outcomes to aid reporting and demonstrate attribution of change to pest management programme activities. Note that the logical link between the output level and the programme outcome would be very weak without the intermediate outcomes Outcome Harm to economic activity from pests and diseases is prevented or reduced Outcome indicator Trend in a set of economic measures for the primary production sector Intermediate outcome I Increased stock productivity within 10 years of programme commencing Intermediate outcome I indicator Kg of product per hectare (e.g. milk solids, meat) over a 5-year period Intermediate outcome II Increased pasture growth within 2 years of programme commencing Intermediate outcome II indicator Pasture dry matter yield per hectare over a 2-year period Output Weed control Output performance measure Weed species distribution and density Activity Spraying/grubbing Activity measure No. of plants removed / area sprayed Labour, herbicide Input measure Costs; staff FTE Outputs, activities and inputs Outputs Outputs are the measurable, tangible, and direct products or results of programme activities, such as possum control or weed control, or public engagement. Output measures tell you how well you are delivering the programme, but not whether your efforts are making any difference to the affected natural or production system. Whenever possible, express output measures in terms of the number, size and/or scope of services and products delivered or produced by the programme. Output measures frequently include quantities or reflect the existence of something new (i.e. something that the relevant
component in all structural layers augmenting LUCAS plots, and agreement of focal species and parameters Avian Presence of suitable bird species across trophic levels Species occupancy Data: Requires standardised field sampling and classification of birds into relevant guilds Habitat for threatened species For threatened and at-risk taxa: (i) number, (ii) status of critical habitat represent- ation Data: Formal classification of threatened and at-risk species available. Suitable habitat requirements will require identification Vulnerable ecosystems (i) Wetlands (condition and extent (ha)); (ii) and other coastal systems (condition and extent); (iii) naturally rare ecosystems (% of area remaining) State Data: National classifications available, including national maps for some systems Threats and Pressures 3. Weeds and animal pests Number of new Number of new regional incursions and/or sites of nationally recognised environmental weed species Indigenous dominance Pressure/ Impact Data: Requires surveillance monitoring at regional level, currently undertaken by regional councils Distribution and abundance Based on (i) regional distribution and (ii) local abundance of environmental weeds and nationally listed animal pests Indigenous dominance Pressure Data: Operational techniques and data management currently vary across regions. Will require standardisation and development of some new approaches 4. Habitat loss Change in area under intensive land use LCDB cover classes within an agreed definition of ‘intensive land use’, e.g. areas actively managed to the Environmental representation Pressure Data: LCDB and reruns, while maintaining historical compatibility of cover classes
general exclusion of terrestrial native biodiversity (i.e. crops, roads, etc.) Habitat and vegetation loss Based on changes in area of land cover classes and naturally rare ecosystems Area of indigenous cover destroyed by fire/aerial spraying over defined period Environmental representation Impact Data: LCDB and reruns, augmented by regional aerial mapping for habitat loss. Standardised data from National Rural Fire Authority, DOC and regional councils 5. Climate change Change in temperature and precipitation (ppt.) Based on analysis of mean and extreme (i) annual temperature, (ii) seasonal temperature, (iii) frost frequency, (iv) annual ppt. and (v) seasonal ppt. Environmental representation Driving forces Data: Available from NIWA, augmented by regional council sites Effectiveness of Policy and Management 6. Biodiversity protection Change in extent and protection of indigenous cover or habitats or naturally uncommon ecosystems Based on LCDB repeats and DOC and regional council records and protection layers. Change measured for each cover class/habitat as % remaining/protected and hectares lost/gained Environmental representation Data: LCDB and reruns, DOC rare ecosystem maps, and LENZ Vegetation consents compliance Permit compliance with vegetation clearance rules, especially on scheduled sites Environmental representation Response Data: Regional council compliance inspection data 7. Pest management Indigenous ecosystems released from Area and land-cover class or habitat where vertebrate densities have low ecological impacts following exclusion fencing or intensive predator control Indigenous dominance Response Data: Regional council, Animal Health DOC data and field measurements at selected sites Change in the abundance of indigenous Contribution (richness, basal area, and density) of Indigenous dominance State Data: Presence/absence and density data
plants and animals susceptible to introduced herbivores and carnivores palatable plant species (e.g. Forsyth et al. 2002) and indigenous birds (herbivores, insectivores, ground dwelling) in representative ecosystems from representative including across variable levels of pest control, from, for example, the National Vegetation Survey Databank 8. Ecosystem services Extent of indigenous cover in water catchment (i) Percentage of catchment and (ii) extent of riparian zone under indigenous cover Environmental representation State Data: LCDB and reruns, augmented by aerial photographs of representative areas Community Engagement 9. Protection and restoration Area and type of biodiversity protection achieved on private land New areas (ha) protected through initiatives on private land N/A Response Data: Permanent Forest Sink Initiative, QEII covenants and regional council and DOC reserves / covenant data Contribution of initiatives to (i) species translocations and (ii) habitat restoration New taxa established and area (ha) and habitat type replanted in region N/A Response Data: Available from community groups (ecosanctuaries), DOC, and some private groups, in addition to regional council data 10. Weed and pest control Community contribution to weed and animal pest control and reductions Area (ha) and habitat with weed and animal pest control by community groups N/A Response Data: Information available from regional council, DOC, and local authorities