BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 888          Total No. of Sites: 105
Survey/Project Name: Eastern Plains Fire Trial - Kangaroo Island
Abstract: This project aims to develop a better understanding of the role of fire in maintaining ecosystem diversity and health in an area of eastern Kangaroo Island (KI), South Australia, subject to significant biodiversity decline (Eastern Plains Fire Trial (EPFT) Working Group 2008). This decline has impacted on a large number of plant species of conservation concern and is suspected to be due in part to the absence of fire from the majority of the landscape for a period of at least 30 years. METHODOLOGY: Initial planning of the EPFT was undertaken in early 2008 and five key management questions identified: MQ1. Does burning small areas of long unburnt mallee promote significant plant species regeneration? MQ2. Do sites with different landscape metrics (such as shape and connectivity) respond differently to burn events? MQ3. Is there a significant difference between the results obtained for spring versus autumn burns? MQ4. Does the intensity of fire result in a significant difference in regeneration response? MQ5. Do different types of fuel manipulations result in significant differences in regeneration response? A three-phase project was then proposed to address these questions. This proposal involved the active manipulation, including both hydro-axing and burning, of a range of sites dominated by Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaf Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia), the plant community considered most at risk: Phase 1. Small experimental sites (<5 ha), spring 2008 and autumn 2009; Phase 2. Medium sized experimental sites (5 to 30 ha), spring 2009 to autumn 2010; Phase 3. Large experimental site (>30 ha), spring 2010 to autumn 2011. Five beneficial outcomes were expected from the implementation of the EPFT: O1. Increased knowledge of the fire ecology of eastern Kangaroo Island; O2. An improvement in bushland condition at each site; O3. An improvement in fire management practices; O4. A strengthening of partnerships between land managers and heightened public involvement in bushland and fire management on Kangaroo Island; O5. An important first step in the development of a fire management plan for eastern Kangaroo Island. Data was used in: D.A. Taylor PhD thesis ANU 2019. Prescribed burning to increase the richness of long-unburned and fragmented mallee communities.
 
Start Date: 01/01/2008      End Date: 30/06/2013
Survey Type: Other
   
Study Area Description: 40x40km area of eastern KI, roughly between Kingscote and American River
Objectives
         Vegetation: *** No vegetation survey objectives recorded
         Fauna: *** No fauna survey objectives recorded
Methodology
         Vegetation: Phase 1 of this project involved 36 sites established in small (< 5 ha) long unburnt (>30 years since last fire) fragments of narrow-leaved mallee spread across a 40 km x 40 km section of eastern KI. These 36 sites are situated on private land, roadside reserve and crown land reserve and were nominated for involvement in the program by more than 30 land managers in a public selection process held during February 2008 (EPFT Working Group 2008). An experimental design was developed to specifically address the five management questions posed in this research project. Three treatments were applied at each of the 36 EPFT sites: i) Control: No intervention ii) Burning: Prescribed burn completed in unmodified vegetation. Long unburnt narrow-leaved mallee communities generally contain medium to low combined surface/near surface fuel loads. Subsequently prescribed burn fire intensities varied significantly depending on weather conditions. iii) Coppiced/Burning: This treatment involved cutting the overstorey (predominately mallee) close to ground level a minimum of three weeks prior to prescribed burning. This treatment greatly increased surface, near surface and mid-storey elevated fuel loads and produced a high intensity fire (flame heights up to 10 m and prolonged residence time). Coppicing +/- burning is a management technique that has been traditionally used by land managers on KI for at least 100 years to manage mallee stands for multiple purposes including promoting stand regeneration, firewood harvesting, roadside risk management and aesthetic purposes. Coppicing was completed either mechanically (using a hydro-axe mechanical slasher) or manually (chainsaw). Each treatment was applied within a 30 m x 30 m sub-section of each EPFT site that includes and surrounds a 10 m x 10 m monitoring plot (Figure 1).
         Fauna: *** No vertebrate methodology recorded

Data Distribution Rules: Public Dataset
Project Basis: Unknown :
Information Authority: Department for Environment and Heritage (BDBSA:Kangaroo Island)