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Basin-wide conservation prioritisation for the Murray–Darling Basin

The research focused on improving understanding of low flow requirements of environmental assets and values in a climate change context and developing a conservation prioritisation method to identify priority locations for future management decisions.
MD-WERP
Science and research
Environment

 

MD-WERP theme Environmental outcomes
MD-WERP research question How can we best prioritise water-dependent ecosystems for management to ensure representative populations and communities of native biota are protected and restored?
Project title Evaluating protection gaps and conservation prioritisation
Research lead Griffith University
Authors Jenna Wraith, Ali Chauvenet and Mark Kennard
Author contact details Ali Chauvenet
Mark Kennard
Date of publication June 2024
Report full title Basin-wide conservation prioritisation for the Murray–Darling Basin
Keywords Murray–Darling Basin; conservation; systematic conservation prioritisation (SCP); Marxan software; biodiversity; critical freshwater habitats; environmental water requirements (EWRs); native species; wetland habitats; migratory species; CAMBA, JAMBA, ROKAMBA; protected areas; climate change.
Summary of output
  • The Murray–Darling Basin faces critical challenges balancing resource needs with biodiversity conservation. This report builds on the earlier analysis of representation gaps and vulnerability assessment for biodiversity assets in the Basin (Wraith et al. 2023). It identifies areas that could be prioritised for future efficient conservation and management, and aims to inform decisions by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and stakeholders.
  • Leveraging Systematic Conservation Prioritisation (SCP, using the Marxan software), the study identified a priority network of sub-catchments representing different sets of biodiversity assets and critical freshwater habitats. Three overarching objectives guided the analysis, informed by stakeholder engagement and workshops:
    • Prioritise a set of areas for efficient conservation management to benefit priority native species.
    • Prioritise critical wetland habitats for priority/threatened species and ecosystems within the Basin.
    • Prioritise areas to conserve migratory species within CAMBA, JAMBA, ROKAMBA agreements, upholding Australia's commitments, and responsibilities.
  • Priority sub-catchments were further evaluated for management opportunities (e.g. waterability) and vulnerability (e.g. exposure to climate change). 
Key findings / recommendations
  • Our study has identified key sub-catchments within the Basin that could be prioritised for management to achieve particular conservation objectives. The findings offer valuable insights for the MDBA and other stakeholders, providing a solid base for making informed decisions on managing and conserving the Basin's natural resources.
  • To maintain transparency and reproducibility, all the input data layers and spatial outputs from the conservation prioritisation analyses have been included in an updated version of the spatial geodatabases (Wraith et al. 2024a), User Guide (Wraith et al. 2024b) and associated metadata (Wraith et al. 2024c). The user guide provides step-by-step instructions and guidance to assist users in accessing data within the spatial geodatabases.
Target audience Water managers, researchers, Australian Government, state governments, local governments, conservation advocacy groups
Report
Publication title Published File type File size
Basin–wide conservation prioritisation for the Murray–Darling Basin 29 May 2025
PDF
16.02 MB
Basin-wide conservation prioritisation for the Murray–Darling Basin 24 Oct 2023
PDF
501.95 KB

Published date: 19 May 2025