Contributing biodiversity activity data
Organisations provide biodiversity management activity data to DEECA as part of funding or program agreement obligations, or via voluntary contributions. The activity data provided by organisations is used to assess progress in achieving the Biodiversity 2037 Plan contributing targets reported annually, and in the five-yearly State of the Environment Report. This data also informs and validates models used to identify the best locations for cost-efficient actions.
Organisations provide biodiversity management activity data to DEECA as part of a DEECA funding/program agreement obligation or by voluntary contribution.
When a DEECA funding agreement requires activity data reporting, the program lead will define the reporting needs.
Organisations or programs not covered by DEECA funding or program agreements have the option to voluntarily submit activity data to include their contributions to Biodiversity 2037. Voluntarily providing biodiversity activity data to DEECA is most suitable for medium to large organizations that can support their delivery partners in accurately recording their projects and activities.
Data can be submitted by using ActivityKit, a web based tool administered by DEECA or by providing shapefiles that meet the Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements. Reported activities must meet delivery standards described in agreements. DEECA’s Output Delivery standards are the minimum standard where not specified in an agreement.
Shiny Daisy-Bush planting and monitoring. Credit: DEECA
Provide activity data using ActivityKit
Activity output data can be recorded directly in ActivityKit, a system for recording biodiversity related management activities administered by DEECA.
ActivityKit is a spatial reporting tool covering common biodiversity management actions. The system is most useful for organisations that do not have existing spatial recording capability.
User registration is required to use ActivityKit. Register here.
How to register for ActivityKit (PDF, 600 KB)
ActivityKit users are invited to optionally share additional data in line with Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements. The ‘Supplementary data_ActivityKit_DEECA Standard Outputs’ Excel template is provided for this purpose.
Supplementary data_ActivityKit_DEECA Standard Outputs (Excel, 77KB)
Organisations wanting to contribute activity data voluntarily via ActivityKit please see the following document for a brief description of the process and what is required:
Volunteer to contribute biodiversity activity data to DEECA (PDF, 117 KB)
Volunteer to contribute biodiversity activity data to DEECA (accessible version) (DOCX, 56 KB)
ActivityKit tutorials and guides
The best place to get an understanding of ActivityKit is to watch the video tutorials. The following guides describe the activities and attributes within the biodiversity output classes and provide help resources for various tasks in ActivityKit.
For more information about ActivityKit email: biodiversity.info@deeca.vic.gov.au
ActivityKit records activities grouped into 13 outputs commonly delivered for protecting biodiversity.
Activity outputs are divided into four classes:
- Structural works: Activity outputs associated with stand-alone environmental goods (e.g. fence).
- Environmental works: A mixture of goods and services output that modify characteristic of the environment (e.g. vegetation).
- Management services: Service outputs that involve changes in the behaviour of land managers (e.g. grazing regimes).
- Planning and regulation: A mixture of goods and services outputs to communicate, administer, plan or gather information (e.g. engagement events).
The following guides describe the activities and attributes within the biodiversity output classes and provide help resources for various tasks in ActivityKit:
ActivityKit biodiversity outputs list (Excel, 50KB)
ActivityKit fields and attributes guide (PDF, 174 KB)
ActivityKit fields and attributes guide (accessible version) (DOCX, 185 KB)
Accurate representation of projects and activities is important; the following links provide some advice for mapping and requirements to upload shapefiles to ActivityKit.
Mapping in ActivityKit (PDF, 257 KB)
Mapping in ActivityKit (accessible version) (DOCX, 1.61 MB)
ActivityKit shapefiles requirements (PDF, 280 KB)
ActivityKit shapefiles requirements (accessible version) (DOCX, 1.96 MB)
Guides are available for mapping weed management and animal control activities.
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (PDF, 525.2 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (accessible version) (DOCX, 2.4 MB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (PDF, 327.9 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (accessible version) (DOCX, 1.5 MB)
Provide activity data using geographic information systems
Organisations that have existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capability can use their existing systems to map their activities and supply activity data to DEECA using shapefiles or geodatabase templates that are provided.
The ‘Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements’ document describes the fields and valid values important for understanding activities delivered for biodiversity benefit. Projects using the shapefile method will need to make sure that only valid values are entered in the spatial attributes.
Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements (Bio2037v1.0) – shapefile templates (ZIP, 61KB)
Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements (Excel, 171KB)
Organisations such as Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) that are familiar with ESRI geodatabase format can use the biodiversity related outputs geodatabase template.
Download the ESRI biodiversity output data geodatabase: Biodiversity related outputs_gdb_template.zip (ZIP, 808)
Provide additional data
Geodatabase users are invited to optionally share additional data in line with Biodiversity 2037 activity data requirements. The ‘Supplementary data_ActivityKit_DEECA Standard Outputs’ Excel template is provided for this purpose.
Supplementary data_ActivityKit_DEECA Standard Outputs (Excel, 77KB)
The following Excel file provides the list of biodiversity related activity outputs, fields and field attributes contained in the geodatabase template. It also provides brief explanations of field attributes.
Biodiversity related outputs geodatabase: fields and attributes list (Excel, 92 KB)
Accurate representation of projects and activities is important, regardless of the software used. The following links provide some advice about mapping activity data using a geodatabase.
Mapping activity data using a geodatabase (PDF, 271 KB)
Mapping activity data using a geodatabase (accessible version) (DOCX, 2.13 MB)
The biodiversity related outputs geodatabase aligns directly with the Output data standard (v3.0) 2021 for Natural Resource Management Reporting. Background and further geodatabase and DEECA Output data standard information is available from the Output data standard web page via the link provided below:
Guides are available for mapping weed management and animal control activities.
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (PDF, 525.2 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (accessible version) (DOCX, 2.4 MB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (PDF, 327.9 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (accessible version) (DOCX, 1.5 MB)
VBA species observations
Please note: Some activities require the recording of a species taxon ID from the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA).
Find a species taxon ID: VBA Species Checklist
Guides are available for generating an up-to-date VBA species checklist:
How to generate a VBA species check list (PDF, 121 KB)
How to generate a VBA species check list (accessible version) (DOCX, 310 KB)
For more information about biodiversity activity output data standards email: biodiversity.info@deeca.vic.gov.au
STAR – legacy system
STAR - Spatial Temporal Activity Recorder is a web-based project management system used for recording plant and animal management projects and activities (pest animals, overabundant wildlife and native animal species, weeds and overabundant or out of range native plant species).
STAR does not cover the range of other activities commonly undertaken for the protection of biodiversity such as revegetation. The system is mostly used by Parks Victoria and DEECA staff to record specific plant and animal management projects as part of a DEECA funding or program agreements.
Organisation/program leads will supply instructions to delivery partners for recording projects and administer permissions within STAR.
User registration is required to use STAR. Please send an email to star.project@deeca.vic.gov.au to register and obtain your STAR login credentials.
These video tutorials and the following guides will help you to understand how navigate STAR and add your projects and activities.
Download all STAR guides here or download the guide of your interest from the following list:
1. STAR overview (PDF, 201 KB)
2. STAR field descriptions (PDF, 232 KB)
3. How to use and navigate STAR (PDF, 247 KB)
4. How to use the drawing tools (PDF, 285 KB)
5. How to use the snapping tool in STAR (PDF, 265 KB)
6. How to edit a feature (PDF, 332 KB)
7. How to find a project or activity via the map (PDF, 168 KB)
8. How to find a project or activity via the map identify function (PDF, 200 KB)
9. How to find, view and edit a project (PDF, 171 KB)
10. How to add a project (PDF, 309 KB)
11. How to add an activity: Plant Management (PDF, 268 KB)
12. How to add an activity: Plant assessment (PDF, 203 KB)
13. How to add an activity_Animal assessment (PDF, 200 KB)
14. How to add annual observations: Plant assessment annual update (PDF, 176 KB)
15. How to add and access attachments (PDF, 153 KB)
16. How to upload a shapefile in to STAR (PDF, 226 KB)
17. How to export mapped features (PDF, 148 KB)
18. How to find the GNP guide (PDF, 218 KB)
19. How to allocate permissions (PDF, 178 KB)
20. How to archive an attachment (PDF, 125 KB)
21. STAR_installing Chrome (PDF, 246 KB)
22. How to clear your browser cache (PDF, 152 KB)
23. How to use the Summary Layers (PDF, 183 KB)
24. How to reset your password (PDF, 196 KB)
For more information about STAR, email: star.project@deeca.vic.gov.au.
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis), Credit Mandy Watson (DEECA)
Silky Mouse (Pseudomys apodemoides), Big Desert State Forest. Credit DEECA
Questions and answers
DEECA provides a range of tools to help people use ActivityKit. Currently there are videos that demonstrate how to create a project and record a range of activities. In most cases DEECA is not able to provide face to face training for new users.
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control describes how to create accurate spatial features for reporting terrestrial and marine pest animals, overabundant native herbivores and overabundant marine wildlife management where the objective is biodiversity protection.
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control describes how to create accurate spatial features for reporting weeds, overabundant or out of range native plant management where the objective is biodiversity protection.
The guides are accessible using the links below.
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (PDF, 525.2 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: weed control (accessible version) (DOCX, 2.4 MB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (PDF, 327.9 KB)
Creating spatial features for reporting: animal control (accessible version) (DOCX, 1.5 MB)
The mapped data that an organisation/program supplies to DEECA will be compiled and stored so that it is available for analysis and reporting. It will be used for program reporting and bi-annual reporting for Biodiversity 2037 and the five yearly State of the Environment Report. The data will be compiled into a map layer that is publicly accessible and available.
The activity data that an organisation/program provides will be used to determine progress in reaching the Biodiversity 2037 Contributing Targets, and to verify models used to determine the best places to take cost-effective actions. The data will be used for annual, bi-annual and 5-yearly statewide reporting.
The spatial activity information that an organisation/program provides to DEECA will be able to be viewed by any person or organisation once it is published through a range of web maps, or by downloading the data from data.vic.gov.au
Once enough activity information has been compiled DEECA will publish this spatial information to data.vic.gov.au and publish it through a range of publicly available web maps. This will allow organisations to see and use the data supplied to DEECA, as well as information supplied by others.
Yes, once the data has been compiled and uploaded to data.vic.gov.au, any person or organisation can access the data they have supplied as well as data supplied by other organisations/programs.
If the data supplied does not comply with the data standards, or is in a format that DEECA cannot use, the activities within that program will not be counted towards Biodiversity 2037 targets. If this information is required as part of a funding agreement with DEECA, the organisation/program will need to correct the information and re-supply it to DEECA.
A map layer of the supplied spatial information will be available from data.vic.gov.au in due course.
Credit: Marcia Riederer (DEECA)
Contact us
For more information about ActivityKit or biodiversity activity output data standards email: biodiversity.info@deeca.vic.gov.au
For more information about STAR email: star.project@deeca.vic.gov.au
Page last updated: 21/10/24