- Title:
-
Different Strokes for Different Folks: The challenge of managing fire regimes for whole of biodiversity conservation
- Date:
- September 2008
- Organisations
- AFAC 2008 Conference
- Authors:
- Alan York
- Location:
- Australia, Australia
Overview
The International Bushfire Research Conference 2008 - incorporating The 15th annual AFAC Conference, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
With 'inappropriate fire regimes' listed as a threatening process to biodiversity under the Flora and Fauna Act 1988, the determination of appropriate burning strategies is of particular importance. Across Victoria, ecological burning strategies are primarily based on a limited number of plants or animals, generally those that are threatened or endangered, or with fire responses. By knowing the way in which these species respond to fire, land managers burn to protect their habitat to enhance survival.
One such species is the south-eastern sub-species of the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, which lives in and around Heathy Stringybark woodlands near Casterton in south-western Victoria. Burning strategies used to 'cool' strip burns to limit canopy scorch and damage to the food source of the Cockatoo, while protecting surrounding large areas of unburnt woodland. What we don't know is the impact of this particular stratey on other plant and animal species and what this means for conservation of regional biodiversity. There are many other animals that live in Heathy Stringybark woodlands, several of which are also State and Nationally threatened species, some that have particular local significance, and others of functional importance.
Current research aims to investigate the habitat requirements of these species to determine the burning regime that might best suit the diversity of the area. An extensive program of mammal and invertebrate trapping has currently been completed and results will be presented and discussed.
