IBSA: Index of Biodiversity Surveys for Assessments

Each year, hundreds of biodiversity surveys are undertaken in Western Australia to support environmental assessments. Historically, information generated through these surveys was not centrally collated or easily accessible, limiting opportunities to use existing knowledge to inform new decisions. IBSA was developed by WABSI and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to address this gap.

Launched in 2018, the Index captures and consolidates information from more than 500 biodiversity surveys conducted each year and makes that information publicly accessible. By bringing survey information together, IBSA helps create a more connected picture of Western Australia’s biodiversity and reduces the need to treat every assessment as an isolated source of information.

Making biodiversity information easier to find and use can strengthen the evidence available to both regulators and industry. IBSA helps users better understand biodiversity values when considering proposed activities, supporting more informed decisions about how development can occur while protecting Western Australia’s unique environment.

The project also demonstrates how improving access to existing information can create value without requiring all new data to be collected from scratch. WABSI’s role included stakeholder consultation, development of the business case and implementation planning, helping translate a recognised information gap into a practical system for decision support.