Fire Ecology and Aboriginal Land Management Presentation Introduction + Landscape fre management in N. Australia 2 major challenge; © Highly flammable vegetation; «© Disappearance of fire-sensitive vegetation © Traditionally nomads managed landseape fires + High fire incidences due to; © Aboriginal cuturalland management practices; «© Pastoral practices; © Lightening strikes, + Ecology of the area covered by the study ie. Northern Australi: ‘© Many fire-sensitive plant species e.g. sandstone heaths; «© Under native Aboriginal occupation; ‘© Comprises of protected areas such as Natlonal parks. ++ The study aims to compare Aboriginal fire management practices with other landscape fire management practices In Norther Australia, re management poses a major challenge simply because of avaliilly of inflammable plant species and grasses such as sorghum. These grasses accumulate high levels of fuel loads that ennance the severity of fires. In addition, the loss of fir-sonsitive vegetation also contribute to ths problom. The Aborigines’ fire managemont practices involve occasional burning as part of landscape conservation.Introduction a Landscape fire management in N. Australia a major challenge; » Highly flammable vegetation + Disappearance of fire-sensitive vegetation * Traditionally nomads managed landscape fires o High fire incidences due to; + Aboriginal cultural/land management practices + Pastoral practices + Lightening strikes a Ecology of the area covered by the study i.e. Northern Australia + Many fire-sensitive plant species e.g. sandstone heaths + Under native Aboriginal occupation + Comprises of protected areas such as National parks 0 The study aims to compare Aboriginal fire management practices with other landscape fire management practices Scope of the study + xplores sustainable fe management approaches inthe region through 4 Ecological assessments; «Case study on Aborighal approaches; «Combined approaches for fire management in the region; + The geography ofthe region: «A plateau aes «Shrub communities with scattered trees, flammable grasses; «Seasonal alnfall and high temperatures; + Fire management practices by the Gunei Aboriginal clan involves spiral treatment followed by systematic burning. “The study investigates the Aborigines practices and compares them with other fe management techniques. To achieve this aim, the study Invaves evaluation of various aspects ofthe environment, assessment ofthe physical geography ofthe study site, and investigation of the culural practices of Gunei Aboriginal clan with regard lan preparation The site consists of mainly shrub communities with mary flammable grass species. Burning ofthe land is meant to reduce the flammable substances in these grasses.Scope of the study o Explores sustainable fire management approaches in the region through; Methods + Evaluation ofthe resource base of the region; + Survey of «Fire sensitive vegetation; «© The excent of burning: «The various habitats within the study reglon; «© Survey of plant species. + Ecological assessment ofthe vegetation sensitive to fre; + Assessment ofthe intensity ofthe fires; + Interviewing to obtain ethnographic information on traditional re management practices; + Estimation of animal population nthe region. In this study, various methods were used, The natural resources ofthe study st inclucing the plant and animal species were estimated betore and after lighting the fies. The extent of burning was also estimated to assess the severity an intensity of the fires. To obtain information regarding traditional fire management practices, interviews were conducted. The presence of flammable vegetation significantly contributed to increased intensity ofthe fires ItResults + Survey of the Geographic Resources: «Canopy height similar ina habitats; «© Species variation between woodland and river flat communities; + Variation of seeder species in each of the woodland and sandstone habitats (p> 0.05) + Occurrence of seeders correlated with the slope for woodland habitats and rock cover in sandstone habitats; + Survey of Animal species: «Abundant Animal Species; 155 vertebrate species «© Bld species were dominant comprising of 65% of fauna; © Most species were habitat-specitc, + Experimenta Fre Study: «Variation inthe proportion of fre-promoting vegetation; coefficient of variation being 72%; «© Lower mass of fuel vegetation resulting to average ire intensities of 7700 KW m-=1 + Aerial Experimental survey «© intensive burning during the dry season; 63.9% of habitat «2 nPopulation of native species remained high especially macropods « ‘nhligh population of macropods in recently burned cals, + Char height was directly elated to estimated fre intensity + Fie intensity influenced by;© Win spec © Alrtomperature, The study established that the among the vertebrate species, bids were among the abundant species in the burnt sites. In ‘addition, the study found out that most species occurred in one major habitat such as the woodland, sandstone, and riparian habitats. The occurrence of seed producing plant species correlated with the nature ofthe habitat. Species variation was seen in all the habitats within the study area particularly in woodland and river flat communities. ‘The study established a variation in fre-promoting vegetation among the habitats within the study area, In addition, in general, the vegetation had a low fuel load due tothe Aboriginal fire management practices. As @ resul, the intensity or severity of the fires were low. The study also established that fre intensity was influenced by environmental factors tke wind speed and humidity. Animal species particulary the macropods were abundant in many recently burnt sites indicating a close association fof burning and mactopod presence,Results Continued o Experimental Fire Study = Variation in the proportion of fire-promoting vegetation; coefficient of variation being 72% = Lower mass of fuel vegetation resulting to average fire intensities of 7700 KW m-1 o Aerial Experimental survey = Intensive burning during the dry season; 63.9% of habitats = Population of native species remained high especially macropods: = High population of macropods in recently burned cells. o Char height was directly related to estimated fire intensity o Fire intensity influenced by; Wind speed Air temperature Review & Synthesis of findings + Native lowland savenne species eg native sorghum accumulates high fuel lads: + Increased frequency of fires due to lightning ignition and intentional ighting “+ Regeneration and re-establishment after fre incidences dificult in the study area with litle prospects of recovery; Following Aboriginal occupancy, fire promoting vegetation such as native sorghum were absent; + Extensive fies are of low isin this landscape due to absence offre promating vegetation justifying the Aborigine’ fre management practices; ‘+ The undergrowth plant material in tis site support slow burning that cannot damage tall canopies. ‘Among the Important findings ofthe study Is that most native vegetation species accumulate high fuel loads over time that Increase fre intensity. The study also found out that regeneration and re-establishment folowing a fre incident Is low. The traditional practices elminate fe promoting vegetation, which ultimately contributes to reduced severty of subsequent fires. (Other than intentional lighting of fires, Iightning ignition was identified as a common cause of many fires.Review &Synthesis of findings Major Findings + Fire management in N. Australie © Aboriginal fre management practices aim at maintaining ecological integrity; «© Contemporary fire management practices inadequate due to failure to incorporate indigenous practices; ‘+ Maintaining ecological integrity entails; «Ensuring high biological dversity including vertebrate and plant species; «© Inthe study site, rare native species considered important to Aborigine land managers were present; «© The populations of exotic plants and animals were low or absent; + Effective fre management requires the involvement of the Aborigines in conservation. In particular, the study eame up with two Impertant findings. Firstly, the Aboriginal fe management practices reduce fuel loads in certain plant species, which reduces significantly the intensity of subsequent fres. Secondly, the study proposed the incorporation of indigenous practices with contemporary practices and the involvement of Aborigine lané managers in order to effectively manage fites in this region.Experimental design + Inthe Aerial survey 4 900 survey cals were constructed; «Estimation of the population of mammals and macropod groups; «© Estimation of vegetation and tree cover after fire fee study; © Use of quadrants in al three habitats; © Variables measured © Scorch height © Char height 2 Fire intensity + Determination of vegetation characteristics in unburned quadrants + Estimation of woody species in 94 quadrants inthe three habitats Inthe study, the experimental design involved aerial survey, fre study, estimation, end correlation ofthe vegetation species between various habitats within the study area, The site was divided into quadrants or cells and each cell assigned to @ given ‘experimental treatment. The variables measured included fire intensity, char height and scorch helght. The vegetation characteris = ofboth the lowly burnt oF unburned cell and the severely burnt cells were then compares.Data analysis In analyzing det Chi-square test of association to evaluate the tendency of macropods to occur in oumed sites. Estimation of animal species density involved use of coefficients of variation. ‘The degree of burning was grouped into; nil, low burning and extensive burning Use of correlation analysis in estimating plant species in the habitats, Use of mean and range to identity vegetation characteristics In both bumnt and unburned sites. Mean and range ofthe fire characteristics and prevalent weather ANOVA in comparing the ciferent habitats. a chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between macropods and burt sites, The population of animals was obtained through estimation in each cel and corrected using the coefficients of variation. The mean and the mean range statistics were used to assess the fre characteristics and vegetation characteristics ofthe burnt and unburned cells. One way ANOVA was used to compare the various habitats within the region of study.Fire Management Techniques + The involvement of community in fire management is essential + From the study effective fire management measures agrees with Aboriginal practices; «The management of tracitional lands; «Importance of indigenous practices «© My opinion; + Implementation offre management technology alongside traditional practices; + Regulation of the burning practices to avoid extensive habitat destruction; + The study didnot explore the burning practices as a way of reducing fre severly and protecting resources. From the study tis apparent that traditional fie management practices are of great significance. In this regard, the implementation of effective ire management practices can only be successful ypon involvement of the traitional land ‘managers and practices. The burning plays an important role in reducing the fuel loads inthe vegetation hence reducing ‘extensive vegetation destruction during fire incidences. However, the study falled to explore buming as a way of protecting plant resources such as seeds from grazers.Critical appraisal of the study + From the study the reasons for burning include; «Reduce the severity of fies; «Reduce fue roads; + However, burning can also serve as; «© Aaway to protect resources; «@ Inerease visibility during hunting: « Increase seed dispersal + Burning also reduces fuel continulty Variable Woodland Sandstone rch height (rm) 79 (10:20) 14(05227 char height (m} 08 (0123.7) o7 tors12) No. of burnt Quadrats 18 (30%) 6(20%) ‘The reasons for burning practices among the Aborigines include the need to reduce fuel loads and in the process minimize fre Intensity. However, in my opinion, the occasional burning can serve as a way of enhancing seed dispersal, germination and Increasing visibility during hunting or predation, Additionally, burning reduces fuel continuity by destroying plant resources with high fuel loads such as sorghum,Summary/Conclusion + Aborigines fire management practices involve; «© Burning to reduce the severity of fires; © Burning to increase growth of pasture and increase species diversity; +The low fire intensity is due to reduced fuel loads caused by the frequent burning + The frequent burning tinits the accumulation of fuels and destroys fie promoting grass specs, + Effective fre management requires; ‘© Cooperation programs with indigenous knowledge, «© Involvement of traditional land managers in conservation efforts. In conclusion, the Aborigines fire management practices aim at reducing the severity of fres by gradually eliminating fre promoting vegetation or decreasing the fuel content in tnese plant species. Therefore, fr effective fire management, measures that incorporate indigenous knowledge is essential. Adationaly, the involvement of Aboriginal land managers in land conservation efforts isan important strategy towards tackling the problem of frequent fies in Norther Australia, The students {and the instructor are likely to ask'f in your opinion, you think frequent burning promotes grass species. They are also likely to {ask of your opinion concerning effective fire management.