The pre-1750 and extant Forest Ecosystem maps of the Western sub-region comprise a number of different Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) and interpreted API and soils data. Within the extant vegetation area, expert botanists developed the map by assigning API polygons to vegetation groups, determined by an ecological classification process using PATN software. On cleared land, a combination of soils, GAMs, and classified site data was used to assign vegetation groups to distinct topographic and soil patterns. This hybrid expert and modelling approach was approved and signed off by a review team of expert botanists including two independents, one NPWS representative and one SFNSW representative. Seventy-six distinct ecosystems have been mapped in the pre-1750 map for this sub-region. The extant map was derived from the pre-1750 map by cutting it to the extant vegetation. The extant vegetation layer incorporates the vegetated API polygons from the CRAFTI project, RN17 mapping, and remnants. Seventy-two distinct ecosystems have been mapped in the extant map for this sub-region. (VIS_ID 3793; ANZLIC: ANZNS0208000145)

This dataset has been superseded by "Forest Ecosystems: Vegetation of the Southern Forests. VIS ID 3858" available at https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/forest-ecosystems-vegetation-of-the-southern-forests-vis-id-3858-0a8ca