SAT Training and Accreditation
The Spot Assessment Technique (SAT) and its landscape-scaled big sister (Regularised Grid-based SAT (RG-bSAT) or Grid-SAT) are field survey techniques recommended for use by most State and Federal Government conservation agencies. Recently, we have also developed a further technique (Rapid-SAT) that quickly enables assessment of large areas of bushland in order to determine koala presence/absence, as well as (if required) inform on range measures such as extent of occurrence and area of occupancy.
It is our experience that while many people use the SAT approach, they often do so without fully appreciating how it should be applied and/or how the results should be interpreted. Because of this, we offer one-day training and accreditation programs in the application of SAT/RG-bSAT & Rapid-SAT methodologies. The first half of the program is devoted to a formal lecture/presentation that communicates key aspects of koala ecology that underpin the SAT approach, as well as the mathamatical concepts behind the technique. Survey design and site sampling protocols are discussed, as are alternative approaches and the relative merits of other koala habitat sampling techniques. The latter part of the day is spent in the field and deals with issues such as site selection, tree sampling, scat searching and data recording.
We offer three levels of accreditation, Team Member, Practitioner/Team Leader, and SAT trainer. In addition to demonstrated competancy in the identification of Myrtaceous plant species, certification as a fully-accredited SAT Practitioner / Team Leader requires satisfactory completion of a formal 30 minute, cold-sit exam (i.e. no revision, only your own notes allowed) at the conclusion of the training sessions, a score of 90% or greater being required in order to be certified.
Training courses have already been conducted for a number of consultancy companies, Local and State Government Authorities in New South Wales and Queensland, Landcare organisations and private sector companies engaged in forestry operations. Procedures leading to industry accreditation of the SAT training program have been initiated.
Please contact our office for further information and/or to organise a training and/or accreditation session. A list of accredited SAT practitioners and their respective contact details can be provided upon request.
