|
Not all wildfires are stand-replacing. The charring on the stem of this old-growth Eucalyptus obliqua suggests a non-stand-replacing wildfire occurred here, probably decades ago. |
Image: Simon Grove |
|
Project summary:
An aim of the Silvicultural Systems Trial (SST) at Warra is to investigate the biodiversity benefits of silvicultural alternatives to clearfelling, and to develop appropriate sustainability indicators. The current experimental design will enable the various silvicultural treatments to be compared to each other. However, the only “control” treatment in the current experimental design is unlogged, ecologically mature forest. A more appropriate benchmark, especially for the early years of the silvicultural treatments, would be forest regenerating from a natural disturbance event – i.e. wildfire.
Thus to complete the experimental design for the SST, it would be desirable to include a near-stand-replacing “wildfire” control treatment in the Warra area. Conceptually, this could be achieved by isolating a block of mature forest (4-10 ha) in the middle of an otherwise clearfelled coupe, and deliberately burning it to mimic a wildfire.
Despite the scientific appeal of a wildfire reference site, the feasibility study concluded that establishing the site would have carried unacceptable risks, especially to the World Heritage Area. An alternative strategy to meet the same set of scientific objectives is now being implemented.
Methodology: This review has been prepared to consider how current and potential silvicultural practices in Tasmania’s wet eucalypt forest relate to the biodiversity and management of coarse woody debris (CWD).
The review is broken into three parts. The first presents an overview of the ecological issues surrounding CWD in managed forests. The second considers CWD in relation to its management under various silvicultural options in Tasmania’s wet eucalypt forests. The third considers measures to address the needs of CWD-dependent biodiversity within Tasmania’s wet eucalypt forests, as well as future research and monitoring requirements.
Datasets: None available.
Publications: Grove, S.J., Meggs, J. & Goodwin, A. (2002). A review of biodiversity conservation issues relating to coarse woody debris management in the wet eucalypt production forests of Tasmania. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart.
|
