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BushfireConf2015 13. Burning and koala habitat
- 1. To Burn or Not to Burn?
- 2. swamp mahogany / swamp box (Eucalyptus robusta / Lophostemon suaveolens) broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) wattle / swamp box (Acacia melanoxylon / Lophostemon suaveolens) forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) Five Treatments Fire Bare Soil Spraying Rotary Hoe Control
- 4. Fire Treatment Results Melaleuca quinquenervia broad-leaved paperbark
- 5. Bare Soil Treatment Melaleuca quinquenervia broad-leaved paperbark Lophostemon suaveolens Swamp box Eucalyptus tereticornis forest red gum
- 6. Summary Native Tree Germinants by Treatment Fire Bare Soil Spraying Rotary Hoe Control 15% 84% 7% 7% 7% swamp mahogany / swamp box (Eucalyptus robusta / Lophostemon suaveolens) broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) wattle / swamp box (Acacia melanoxylon / Lophostemon suaveolens) forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
- 7. Summary Native Tree Germinants by Treatment Fire Bare Soil Spraying Rotary Hoe Control 15% 84% 7% 7% 7% swamp mahogany / swamp box (Eucalyptus robusta / Lophostemon suaveolens) broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) wattle / swamp box (Acacia melanoxylon / Lophostemon suaveolens) forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
Editor's Notes
- Partnership between: Brunswick Valley Landcare Koala Connections Project Managed through: Byron and Tweed Shire Councils With funding from: Dahl Trust Australian Government
- Koala Connections – connecting hinterland to ranges, barriers – Pacific Highway Is improving the quantity and quality of koala habitat, mainly through tree planting on private properties Tree planting expensive Trailing new methods to get koala habitat to regrow Looking for something replicable on a large scale Discuss site and project – 150 , 3*3m plots with 5 treatments, seed addition to 50 plots etc…
- Purpose - Remove ground layer competition - Remove mulch layer - Provide bare soil for germination - Add smoke water to the site Risks -Koalas and Koala habitat -Pacific Highway -Railway Constraints - Total fire bans and permit length - Wind below 10km/hr - Burn piles max 3*3m and <30cm high - Max 3 piles alight - Water, pump and hose at each pile - Minimum 1 person per pile Koala Presence
- Results Fire burnt for approximately 1 hour Only 20 out of the 30 fire plots got burnt due to fire restrictions Some plots were only partly effective – ie killed ground layer competition Grasses and other weeds have regrown were treatment was ineffective In the fire scar areas Forest Red Gum and Broad Leaved Paperbark germinated in 3 of the 20 plots Considering modifying the burning method by spraying before burning and burning in Autumn instead of Spring in the remaining plots
- Purpose - Remove ground layer competition - Remove mulch layer and upper layer of the soil seed bank - Provide bare soil for germination Risks - Compaction - Erosion Constraints - Machinery access and costs Grass and top soil to deposit Not regulated as with the fire treatment Results Most plots were only 100% effective – ie killed ground layer competition A mix of native and exotic sedges have regrown In the bare soil areas Forest Red Gum, Broad Leaved Paperbark, Swamp box, Cheese Trees and other species havegerminated in 25 of the 30 plots
- Bare soil and Fire treatments most effective so far Fire 15% of 3 of the 20 have native tree germinants Bare soil 84% or 25 of the 30 have native tree germinants Most of the germinants are close to the parent tree Removal of mulch and the presences of wetting and drying events appears to be an important contributor to presence of germinants