Abstract
It is widely accepted that wetland ecosystems are under threat worldwide. Many communities are now trying to establish wetland rehabilitation programs, but are confounded by a lack of objective information on wetland condition or significance. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making method, TOPSIS (the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), was adapted to assist in the role of assessing wetland condition and rehabilitation priority in the Clarence River Catchment (New South Wales, Australia). Using 13 GIS data layers that described wetland character, wetland protection, and wetland threats, the wetlands were ranked in terms of condition. Through manipulation of the original model, the wetlands were prioritized for rehabilitation. The method offered a screening tool for the managers in choosing potential candidate wetlands for rehabilitation in a region.
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Acknowledgments
This project was funded by the National Heritage Trust of Australia through the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority. C. Liu is funded by the University of New England Vice-Chancellor’s postdoctoral fellowship.
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Liu, C., Frazier, P., Kumar, L. et al. Catchment-Wide Wetland Assessment and Prioritization Using the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method TOPSIS. Environmental Management 38, 316–326 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-005-0151-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-005-0151-0