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Fuelwood being harvested as part of the silvicultural systems trial in Warra coupe WR008I, February 2003. |
Image: Leigh Edwards |
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Project summary:
Plans for integrating fuelwood retrieval (for bioenergy generation) into forest harvesting operations in the Southern Forests are well advanced, yet our understanding of the impacts of retrieval on regeneration and on biodiversity is currently lacking. This multidisciplinary study takes advantage of harvesting operations being undertaken as part of the Warra Silvicultural Systems Trial, to examine the impacts of fuelwood harvesting in 2 ha portions of the two coupes being harvested under the aggregated retention system.
The fine fuel measurement levels before and after fuelwood harvesting give an idea of its impact on the subsequent relative ease of establishment of successful regeneration burning operations, to which both fine fuel and coarse woody debris contribute. Measuring fuelwood recovery helps to develop an understanding of fuelwood availability and the practicality of developing mitigation measures for deadwood dependent biodiversity. Following regeneration burning, the physical condition of the seedbed and the subsequent success of early regeneration of eucalypt seedlings (density and early growth rates) was compared for areas from which fuelwood had been recovered and those where fuelwood was left in situ. This will help to develop an understanding of fuelwood availability and the practicality of developing mitigation measures for deadwood dependent biodiversity.
Methodology: Prior to harvesting, two 20×50 m plots were established in these areas and a further two plots in areas scheduled for timber harvesting, but not scheduled for fuelwood retrieval. All coarse woody debris was measured and mapped. Fuelwood harvesting in the 2 ha areas was then carried out using conventional harvesting machinery to recover all potential fuelwood over 10 cm diameter. Measurements were repeated following harvesting, to assess the proportion of material in different size and decay stages removed or damaged during fuelwood recovery. Additional measurements of fine fuel levels were taken following timber harvesting and then repeated after fuelwood recovery. This process was recorded in detail to calculate costs (in time and energy) of harvesting relative to the value (dollar and calorific) of recovered fuelwood. Recovered fuelwood was weighed to calculate total mass removed per hectare.
Datasets: None available.
Publications: Grove, S.J. & Meggs, J. (2003). Coarse woody debris biodiversity and management: a review with particular reference to Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests. Australian Forestry 66: 258-272.
Raison, R.J., Kirschbaum, M.U.F., McCormack, R.J., Attiwill, P.M. & Richardson, A.M.M. (2002). Review of the science relevant to the sustainable use of native and plantation forest-harvesting residues for energy production in Tasmania. CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products, Canberra.
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