VQA Assessments
The Victorian methodology for evaluating the condition of native vegetation against Ecological Vegetation Class benchmarks.
What is VQA?
Vegetation Quality Assessment (VQA) compares observed vegetation against EVC benchmarks. It is the standard methodology used in Victoria for assessing native vegetation condition, required for planning permits and environmental assessments.
VegAssess implements the full VQA methodology as defined by DELWP, guiding you through each required data point with validation to ensure completeness before you leave the site.
Assessment components
A VQA assessment records data across several components, each contributing to the overall condition score:
- Large trees — count and size class of canopy trees relative to the benchmark
- Tree canopy cover — estimated percentage cover of the tree canopy layer
- Understorey — presence and cover of understorey life forms (shrubs, grasses, herbs, ferns)
- Lack of weeds — cover of exotic species relative to native cover
- Recruitment — evidence of regeneration in canopy and understorey species
- Organic litter — presence of leaf litter, fallen timber, and ground cover
Scoring
VegAssess automatically calculates condition scores by comparing your field observations against the selected EVC benchmark. Each component is scored as a percentage of the benchmark maximum, and the overall habitat score combines all components into a single value out of 100.
Scores update in real time as you enter data. The totals and benchmarks view shows a breakdown of each component alongside its benchmark value.
EVC benchmarks
VegAssess includes the full set of DELWP EVC benchmarks for Victoria. When creating an assessment, search by EVC number or name to find the correct benchmark for your site. Benchmark data is cached locally so it's available offline.
Each benchmark defines expected values for large tree count, canopy cover, understorey life form cover, and other components. Your field observations are compared against these values to produce the condition score.
Species recording
Record native and exotic flora with cover and abundance values. The species search draws from the full Victorian flora list, searchable by common or scientific name. Species are automatically classified by life form group for understorey scoring.
- Search by name — find species by common or scientific name from the cached database
- Cover values — record percentage cover for each species
- Life form classification — species are grouped by life form for understorey component scoring
- Native/exotic status — automatically determined from the species database for weed scoring