The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and Landgate have been selected as finalists for the 2026 WA Government Innovators of the Year Award in recognition of their pioneering work using artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to improve native vegetation mapping across Western Australia (WA).
The WA Government Innovators of the Year Award recognises public sector employees who develop innovative products, technologies or services that improve government delivery and create economic, social or environmental benefits for WA.
The shortlisting recognises the partnership between the Department’s WA Vegetation Extent (WAVE) Pilot and Landgate's Earth Observation team, which has developed and tested advanced deep learning models capable of identifying native vegetation in some of the State's most challenging landscapes.
A key focus of the work has been the Pilbara, where sparse and seasonally dry vegetation can be difficult to distinguish from surrounding land surfaces using conventional mapping approaches. Through the application of deep learning and earth observation technologies, Landgate has developed a novel modelling workflow that can interpret landscape patterns and context beyond traditional pixel-based methods.
The collaboration was established to address a critical challenge identified through the WAVE Pilot: creating a reliable and repeatable method for detecting native vegetation in arid and complex environments. The partnership combines Department’s ecological, policy and operational expertise with Landgate's capabilities in spatial science, remote sensing and artificial intelligence.
The modelling approach developed through the partnership has demonstrated that deep learning technologies can provide a viable pathway towards more consistent vegetation extent information for Western Australia. Following initial success in the Pilbara, the methodology has been tested across additional areas in south-west WA, helping build the evidence base for future statewide application.
WAVE is a priority action of DWER’s Native Vegetation Policy Implementation Roadmap.
Winners will be announced at the WA Innovators of the Year Awards ceremony on 2 November 2026.
Print this page
