Black cockatoo habitat assessments will always depend on experienced ecologists in the field. However, spatial analysis can provide valuable context before surveys begin, helping teams understand habitat patterns across large landscapes and focus effort where it matters most.
One tool available to Spectrum is high-resolution LiDAR. Recently, we mapped more than 230,000 individual trees across a project area, measuring tree height and identifying those above a certain height to help prioritise field assessment of potential black cockatoo habitat.
Using canopy height models and individual tree crown detection algorithms, we can identify and map individual tree locations, heights and crown extents at landscape scale. Combined with ecological knowledge, this provides an early understanding of where mature vegetation is concentrated and where habitat values may be present.
The real value isn’t the technology itself—it’s the insight it provides. Before field crews mobilise, ecologists can already understand:
By combining LiDAR, aerial imagery and GIS analysis, Spectrum helps clients develop more targeted and efficient survey programs while ensuring field assessments remain focused on the areas most likely to contain important habitat.
It’s a practical example of how spatial data can enhance ecological understanding before a single boot hits the ground.
