Innovative online land use map to support TC Debbie recovery

Queensland Government scientists have developed a high-tech online map to assist in the recovery of agricultural lands hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said the map showed the areas of primary agricultural land that were within the destructive wind zones of TC Debbie, and the subsequent weather event.

Ms Enoch said the map was produced using a range of satellite and aerial imagery, and informed by on-ground data collected with a purpose-built app.

“Tropical Cyclone Debbie devastated north Queensland communities and impacted greatly on agricultural land in the area, and other parts of the State,” Ms Enoch said.

“Map data provides critical information for planning and responding to, and recovering from, the impact of natural disaster events such as cyclones, floods, bushfires and droughts.”

The map was produced by the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation’s Remote Sensing Centre as part of the Queensland Land Use Mapping Program (QLUMP).

“QLUMP’s data provides information to industry groups and the government to identify affected locations and the extent of land uses which were impacted, and to support growers and other producers who have been hit by this natural disaster,” Ms Enoch said.

“Land use maps are fundamental sources of information to support agriculture and natural resource management and planning, including biosecurity incidents.

“We are working with agricultural industries to help them recover from the impacts of the cyclone and flooding, and we have provided the map to the Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centre and industry bodies to help assess the damage,” she said.

Horticulture Innovation Australia Chief Executive John Lloyd said the web map technology is also being used to convey data that is being generated as part of a national tree crop mapping project to help assess the damage and loss of certain tree crops affected by TC Debbie to help with response and recovery efforts.

“The hours of mapping that’s been generated through this ambitious four-year project is already showing its worth. The maps are fundamental in natural disasters like TC Debbie quickly and easily representing the macadamia, avocado and mango orchards impacted by the cyclone,” Mr Lloyd said.

In association with the partners on the national tree crop mapping project, the remote sensing scientists have also developed an app which uses citizen science to continue to improve the maps. The app allows citizen scientists including farmers and school students to upload photos and observations of land use anywhere in the state.

“I encourage Queenslanders to download the app and get involved in helping the scientists improve the maps by contributing information about land uses in their region. The use of the mapping to support natural disaster response and recovery efforts highlights the importance of accurate and locally-informed land use maps,” Ms Enoch said.

The web maps can be accessed by searching www.arcgis.com for ‘TC Debbie – Impacted Land use’ and ‘Horticulture Tree Crops – Cyclone Debbie’. The app (Land Use Survey by QLUMP) can be downloaded from the Apple App Store (iOS) or the Google Play Store (Android).

The national tree crop mapping project is supported by Horticulture Innovation Australia, through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit programme. Partners include the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Queensland, University of Sydney, University of New England, University of Queensland, Central Queensland University, Simpson Farms, Agtrix and mango, macadamia, avocado industry bodies.  

For further information about QLUMP see https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/vegetation/mapping/qlump/

ENDS

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