Water yield controlled by vegetation           Adams, M  Prof U of Sydney

This paper details the research currently in progress to measure the effects of vegetation loads on water yield and means to influence that yield.

Bushfires, changing climate and water         Adams, M  Prof U of Sydney

Changing climates are routine in Australia on geological time scales. On scales as short as human lifetimes, events such as the recent drought in southern Australia might occur just once, rendering human interpretation of the effects of climate change, at best, a risky business. That said, the southwest corner of the continent has had less rain in nearly all of the last 10-12 years, than it had on average over the preceding hundred or so years.
In this paper I will focus on the effects of bushfires on water yield to the Murray-Darling, to Gippsland and to cities such as Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide.
I draw upon recent research in the high country in southeast Australia – the scene of massive bushfires in 2003 and 2006/7 and 2009. This region provides a very large proportion of the water in the Murray-Darling basin (and contains some of our most carbon-rich soils).

Decline of eucalypt forests as a result of unnatural fire regimes   Jurskis

Fire was an integral part of the Australian environment before European settlement. The conventional view of fire as a ‘disturbance’, and the misconception that ‘natural succession’ occurs in the absence of ‘disturbance’ to eucalypt ecosystems, cause much confusion about eucalypt forest decline. Natural fire regimes stabilised eucalypt ecosystems so that they were self sustaining, whereas post-European interference has substantially changed the environment, initiating unnatural ecosystem processes.

Fire management in the alpine region   Jurskis, de Mar, Aitchinson

The Alpine Region of Australia contains a very extensive tract of native ecosystems that remains largely intact. Paradoxically it also boasts a rich cultural history extending back before European settlement. Diverse values supplied by the regions’ ecosystems include food, minerals, timber, recreation, energy, water, nature conservation, and cultural history. Some of these alpine values are particularly vulnerable to climate change. There are different opinions about the relative impacts of human management, compared to climate, on fire regimes. The fire history of the region and future management of fire to protect regional values are discussed in the context of climate change scenarios.

Fire management - What has changed?   Jurskis and Underwood

Disastrous fires across temperate Australia in the early to mid 20th Century precipitated a revolution in forest fire management. Broad area fuel reduction burning, often by aerial ignition, made it possible to minimise the occurrence of very large high intensity wildfires. From the 1980s demographic and political
changes brought a counter revolution. Managers concerned about theoretical, ecological impacts of burning allowed fuels to accumulate, suppression again became the major fire management activity, and disastrous fires returned.

Fire management: the lessons of 200 years   Jurskis, de Mar, Bridges, State Forests NSW

Ecologically sustainable forest management is government policy in Australia. Five key ESFM principles are: maintenance of all ecological communities and processes; public accountability; maintenance of ecosystem health and vitality by reducing threats from diseases, weeds and unnatural fire regimes; the precautionary principle; and adaptive management. Reduced occurrence of low intensity fire in recent decades is associated with fire control and forest health problems, indicating that forest fire management may need to further adapt if ESFM is to be achieved.

Links between cattle grazing and fuel reduction in the high country    MCAV

Ever since European settlement, the Mountain Cattlemen who ran their cattle in the Victorian High Country have been strong advocates of fuel reduction as one vital management tool to reduce the impact of wildfire and encourage diversity and sustainability of native flora and fauna.
The central theme of this paper is management of Victoria’s public land.