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GEORGA: Managing biodiversity in geothermal sites

TR 2015/17
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Report: TR 2015/17

Author: B Willoughby and C Beard

About this report

Although the extent and nature of geothermal vegetation of the Waikato region is well-described, evaluations of other aspects such as necessary conditions for the vegetation’s existence, its interdependencies with soil-dwelling and terrestrial invertebrates, and its provision of ecosystems services, have not been undertaken to the same extent.

 This report presents a tool (GEORGA – Geothermal Resource General Assessment) to inform conservation/biodiversity management and economic development by valuing a geothermal site across fourteen parameters. The intended final structural form of the tool is to employ four primary components.

1. Habitat quality

2. Environmental services

3. Threats

4. Economic opportunities

At this stage of development, GEORGA has components addressing habitat quality (1) and threats (3). Measurable parameters for environmental services (2) are also documented in this report, however, as information on some services are lacking, further groundwork and research is required to complete development. It is intended that the economic component (4) will be addressed in a different body of work.

Read or download the report

GEORGA: Managing biodiversity in geothermal sites [PDF, 1.2 MB]

Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Geothermal Site Biodiversity Management Decision Tool
Background
Habitat quality
Dominance of indgenous species (plant)
Presence of rare or threatened indigeous species taxa
Diversity of habitat types
Site quality and landscape context
Environmental services
Threats
Discussion
Economic opportunities / threats
Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Recommendation 2
References
Appendix