Seasonal timing - Sampling was undertaken during winter due to the need to undertake the baseline survey prior to scheduled planting. The timing of the survey had the potential to reduce the detection of herbaceous species through lack of flowering parts and reduce the detection of annual species that die off during winter. Over a significant extent of the asset, the high cover of pasture grasses recorded was likely to inhibit the growth and cover of native herbaceous species. The timing of the survey is unlikely to skew the ICSs for herbaceous species richness or native herbaceous cover to a degree that would greatly change the baseline Econd®.

Environmental planting preparation - A number of paddocks had received herbicide treatment and some tilling of the soil in preparation for environmental planting, where the occasional dead native grass species were observed. The condition of several sample sites in these assessment units (2a and 3a) were likely slightly higher quality prior to the site planting preparation occurring. It is unlikely however, to have significantly impacted the baseline Econd®.

Survey intensity - Ground-truthing of the assessment unit mapping during the field data collection revealed some errors in the SVTM and SVTM PC (including wrong PCT or not remnant). This resulted in the need for additional survey locations to be selected during the field survey. One assessment unit (3d) was under-sampled and is two short of the required survey intensity, stemming from the ground-truthing of sub-asset mapping. This will be rectified during the next field survey campaign. For all other assessment units, the number of sample sites satisfies the Method’s Very High (95%) Accuracy Level.