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Evidence of Work

ILI - Innovative Land Index

Project Info

CeRDI-fied thumbnail

Team Name


CeRDI-fied


Team Members


Chris Bahlo and 4 other members with unpublished profiles.

Project Description


Team CeRDIfy

Our Team

  • Daniel Ferguson - Team leader & developer
  • Dr. Angela Neyland - GIS expert & video editor
  • Dr. Basharat Ali - Researcher
  • Chris Bahlo - Overall ninja (actually a knight)
  • Derek Walters - Researcher

Innovative Land Index (ILI)

The Innovative Land Index (ILI) is a proof of concept of how a holistic data-driven approach could be used to make better future planning decisions for land zoning. This focuses on providing an index based on soil characterstics, rainfall and the distance from the major urban centres of farmland and therefore their relative importance to preserve into the future.

Index Map

Methodology

For full documentation of the method of analysing and interpreting the data, to exporting the final raster please see our GitHub ReadMe which includes images and references to data sets in use.

Website

Another great resource is our website, which outlines research on considered variables/topics, limitations of the proof of concept, future directions and more. Also - have a play with the interactive map of the index while you're there!

Nominated Awards

National - Waterwise

Water planning across Queensland is complicated, involving over 300 surface water supplies and almost 180 river systems across the Great Artesian Basin. Water permits, quality treatment, bores, spring monitoring, urban management and native title considerations all complicate the sustainable management and planning of this vital resource. The water plan framework is designed to help manage this system, however inevitably planning decisions will be biased towards competing interests, such as environmental aspects, growing urbanisation or National Parks.

The Innovative Land Index (ILI) we have created is designed to encompass all the aspects of planning and management, producing a map that better informs the planning process. Water planning often involves environmental, groundwater, surface water and intended use interaction. There is often little consideration given to the complication provided through farming activity, social requirements, pollution impact, salinity increases (or encroachment) or climate change. These aspects are usually considered either in isolation, or alongside a couple of other requirements.

A systems approach, which incorporates as many data sets and stakeholders as possible, will provide a holistic viewpoint that enables planners to make more informed decisions. ILI aims to bring together as many aspects as possible involved within the water environment. Applying these raster data sets to the Queensland Global spatial portal is one example of how the ILI could easily be incorporated into the Water Planning process in Queensland.

National - Innovative ways to be efficient with water

Australian water management authorities (DELWP, Water.WA, SA.Water, Hunter Water, Melbourne Water and others) all share a similar approach to address water management. The current water management system is facing too many issues such as urban growth, economics, environmental degradation or improvement, social implications and cultural diversity
Globally, there are a number of systems and innovative approaches to address water management issues. Currently, California, Mexico and South Africa are using innovative approaches incorporating education of both water users and planning officials to aid with water management. The education of the public domain as well as management planning inspired our team to develop a holistic systems management tool that incorporates as many aspects as possible.

The Innovative Land Index (ILI) tool we have designed, encompasses many aspects of planning and management, producing a map that visually educates and informs both the community and planning. Water often involves environmental, groundwater, surface water and intended use interaction. There is often little consideration given to the complication provided through farming activity, social requirements, pollution impact, salinity increases (or encroachment) or climate change. These aspects are usually considered either in isolation, or alongside a couple of other requirements.

A systems approach, which incorporates as many data sets and stakeholders as possible, will provide a holistic viewpoint that better educates the public and enables planners to make more informed decisions. ILI aims to bring together as many aspects as possible involved within the water environment. Applying these raster data-sets to the state water portals (e.g. SA Water, Water.Vic and Water.WA) is one example of how the ILI could easily be incorporated into the water educational and planning processes in Australia.

Regional - Visualising the soil quality of Victoria

We have created the Innovative Land Index (ILI) tool, which can help farmers and other agricultural decision makers in selecting land based on suitability for agriculture. It can also help regional and town planners to identify areas of potential high agricultural production value to take into consideration when making zoning decisions in relation to urban development. It can also inform the community’s interest in the concept of reducing 'food miles' both in terms of reducing the environmental impact of food transportation as well as providing the community access to the freshest local food. This will happen with better town planning practices informed by data.

To achieve this, we have used the Agriculture Victoria Soils API to obtain variables such as pH, soil organic carbon, and electrical conductivity were used. Additional datasets included in the project are: planning scheme zones from Vicmap Planning, land use from Victorian Land Use Information System 2016-2017, average rainfall from the Bureau of Meteorology and soil water capacity from the Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Available Water Capacity (3" resolution) - Release 1. The OpenstreetMap API was also used.

International - Optimise energy and water resource planning

Water resource management in Australia is complex. Current planning often overlooks factors such as urban growth versus agricultural needs, economics, environmental degradation or improvement, social implications, and cultural diversity. These aspects should all be addressed within the planning and management framework of water and other resources.
Globally, there are a number of systems and innovative approaches to address water management issues. Currently, California, Mexico and South Africa are using innovative approaches incorporating education of both water users and planning officials to aid with water management. The need for a holistic systems water resource management approach inspired our team to develop a tool that incorporates as many aspects as possible.
The Innovative Land Index (ILI) tool we have designed, encompasses many aspects of planning and management, producing a map that visually educates and informs both the community and planning. Water often involves environmental, groundwater, surface water and intended use interaction. There is often little consideration given to the complication provided through farming activity, social requirements, pollution impact, salinity increases (or encroachment) or climate change. These aspects are usually considered either in isolation, or alongside a couple of other requirements.

A systems approach, which incorporates as many data sets and stakeholders as possible, will provide a holistic viewpoint enabling efficient planning (eg reducing transport costs) and to make more informed decisions. ILI aims to bring together as many aspects as possible involved within the water environment and has the potential to included additional layers relating to transport and water supply as well as other aspects.


Data Story


We have created the Innovative Land Index (ILI) tool, which can help farmers and other agricultural decision makers in selecting land based on suitability for agriculture. It can also help regional and town planners to identify areas of potential high agricultural production value to take into consideration when making zoning decisions in relation to urban development. It can also inform the community’s interest in the concept of reducing 'food miles' both in terms of reducing the environmental impact of food transportation as well as providing the community access to the freshest local food. This will happen with better town planning practices informed by data.

To achieve this, we have used the Agriculture Victoria Soils API to obtain variables such as pH, soil organic carbon, and electrical conductivity were used. Additional datasets included in the project are: planning scheme zones from Vicmap Planning, land use from Victorian Land Use Information System 2016-2017, average rainfall from the Bureau of Meteorology and soil water capacity from the Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Available Water Capacity (3" resolution) - Release 1. The OpenstreetMap API was also used.


Evidence of Work

Video

Homepage

Project Image

Team DataSets

FOI - Locality Point - Vicmap Features of Interest

Description of Use This dataset was used to locate the offical location of the major urban centres of Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo and Melbourne. Points at these locations were extracted from the dataset and used as 'hubs' for a point distance analysis in desktop GIS to the 1km grid over the study area (created for this project) which measured the distance of each grid point to the nearest urban centre. This provides the minimum relative 'food mile' value for food produced on agricultural land throughout the study area. These distance results were then interpolated using inverse distance weighting and included as a variable within the Innovated Land Index (ILI).

Data Set

OpenStreetMap

Description of Use OpenStreetMap provides the basemap in our demonstration portal of the Innovated Land Index (ILI). This API was also used within desktop GIS during the analysis stage and creation of the ILI to assist in the defining of the study area.

Data Set

Planning scheme zones - Vicmap Planning

Description of Use This dataset was used to understand landuse at a broad level. The dataset was examined within desktop GIS with a subset of the dataset for the project study area. Land zone descriptions were reclassified into the broad categories: Agriculture, Rural Living Zone, Conservation and Built Environment (ie everything else). This was then overlaid over our Innovating Land Index (ILI) to examine how urban areas and the built environment are currently positioned in relation to prime agricultural land.

Data Set

Victorian Land Use Information System 2016-2017

Description of Use This layer was examined in desktop GIS for the specific project study region noting the land use classifications pertaining to agriculture vs built environment. On further investigation it was decided that the Victorian Planning Zoning dataset was more specific for the needs of the project at this demonstration stage. However future expansion of this project would further use this dataset to look at specific types of agricultural crops (eg oilseed crops, vs cereals, vs horticulture) in relation to the land characteristics mapped by the Innovative Land Index (ILI) and the specific needs of these land uses.

Data Set

BOM Average annual Rainfall (Victoria)

Description of Use The BOM Victorian rainfall grid was visualised as a raster and a subset created for the specific study area as variable layer in the creation of the Innovative Land Index (ILI).

Data Set

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Available Water Capacity (3" resolution) - Release 1

Description of Use The layer available water capacity 0-5cm used for this project. A clipped raster was created of this dataset for the study area and included along with other complimentary datasets in the creation of the Innovative Land Index (ILI).

Data Set

Agriculture Victoria Soils API

Description of Use The quantitative attributes of this dataset (pH top, Organic Carbon top, Electrical Conductivity top) were used. These were extracted from the API to a 1km resolution grid within the project study area and interpolated using inverse distance weighting to create digital soil maps for further analysis as variables within our innovative land index (ILI) along with other complimentary datasets outlined.

Data Set

Challenge Entries

Optimise energy and water resource planning

Optimise energy and water resource planning

Go to Challenge | 32 teams have entered this challenge.

Waterwise

How can we protect and preserve our water resources?

Go to Challenge | 22 teams have entered this challenge.

Innovative ways to be efficient with water

Innovative ideas about water efficiency. Climate change means that we will have more unpredictable weather. Some of Australia is in drought and some areas have plenty of water. That changes each year. Water efficiency was a focus around the millennium drought. We want new, innovative and untapped ideas on ways to be efficient with water use. These ideas could include how we use water, how we can save water, how we waste water, how everyone can make a difference in using water wisely, water rules and ideas on saving water for the future.

Go to Challenge | 26 teams have entered this challenge.

🌟 Visualising the soil quality of Victoria

Agriculture Victoria have years of meticulously collected soil quality information. This wealth of data is an incredibly rich resource for farmers, industry and researchers who make decisions based on what’s on, or under, the ground. This might include ecological planning, bushfire mapping or deciding on next generation crops. How would you represent this data to help decision makers?

Go to Challenge | 5 teams have entered this challenge.