Introduce yourself – What's your project about?

[Michelle Rose NCC]

This is the space to introduce yourself and your fire related projects.

1. What location are you working in?
2. What is the focus of your project/work?
3. Any other point of interest related to your project
(Feel free to link to one other web page with more information)

[Jane Williamson]

I am an ecologist, working as a consultant in Sydney. I started a PhD this year – my project involves aspects of fire ecology, specifically looking at appropriate fire intervals for fauna conservation.

The aims of my project are to:

– Review how historic fire intervals within Land Management Zones in New South Wales relate to the Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Fire Management (Kenny et al., 2003) for vegetation formations. This will use a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) approach, drawing on vegetation formation (Keith, 2004) and fire history layers;
– Investigate whether the Guidelines for Ecologically Sustainable Fire Management (Kenny et al., 2003) for vegetation formations have the same impacts on fauna habitat across vegetation classes within each formation (Keith, 2004). This will use a field-based approach comparing fauna habitat attributes among vegetation classes that have a similar fire history; and
– Examine whether patches of long-unburnt vegetation in a sub-set of formations (i.e. where the most recent fire is beyond the upper threshold of its recommended fire interval) are important for the conservation of fauna biodiversity. Selected habitat characteristics will be measured in long un-burnt vegetation and compared with vegetation burnt more recently.

My study area is NSW.

[Andy Baker]

I’m an ecologist, previously working as a vegetation/restoration/fire consultant on the NSW North Coast since 1997. I’ve recently commenced a PhD (SCU Lismore) looking at the ecological consequences of fire exclusion. I’m particularly interested in landscape-scale changes to vegetation/habitat structure resulting from fire exclusion, including where canopy closure and rain forest invasion (mesophication) displaces grassy/heathy understorey habitats of open-forest.

The aims of my project are to:
** Investigate which fauna habitat attributes within open forests are most vulnerable to canopy closure and understorey displacement through survey of open-forests at different stages of transition;
** Test for positive feedbacks of declining flammability in fire-dependent open-forests subject to canopy closure & mesophication at the stand- and landscape-scale, through fire behaviour modelling.
** Examine landscape features (e.g. soil, topographical position, distance to rain forest) that influence that rate of canopy closure and mesophication in open forests, through spatial analysis of landscapes subject to widespread change since the 1960s.

I’m also involved in several restoration projects striving to restore regular fire to fire-excluded ecosystems, including in a rare heathland in transition to rain forest.

[Richard Brittingham]

I’m a Natural & Cultural Resource Management (N&CRM) Practitioner I’m currently based in Bellingen on the NSW North Coast. We’ve been here for 2 years after moving from Alice Springs where we were based for 8 years – we’re still adjusting.

My current role is Firesticks Project Coordinator with the NSW Nature Conservation Council (NCC). The Firesticks Project is funded under the Federal Governments Biodiversity Fund for 5 years – its currently funded until June 2017. The Project is coordinating a unique collaboration that involves community members and personnel from four Indigenous Protected Areas, three Aboriginal Land Councils, the Northern Rivers Fire and Biodiversity Consortium, University of Technology (Sydney) and government agencies.

The project is implementing on-ground works and conducting scientific monitoring to establish a greater understanding of the ecological impact of applying low-intensity prescribed burns across different ecosystems. The program aims to employ a combination of integrated fire, weed and pest management to enhance ecosystem health by improving habitat condition and connectivity within culturally significant but often degraded landscapes; providing educational pathways that enable and empower Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities to work collaboratively.

For more information on the NCC Firesticks Project go to http://www.firesticks.org.au

I have a significant interest in biodiversity conservation within highly modified landscapes and from my very limited experience in NSW I believe this requires careful planning and consideration of innovative and adaptive management approaches where a combination of fire, weed and pest animal actions may be required. I am also very interested in cultural connections to country and believe there is huge scope to work alongside and learn from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities within NSW. As N&CRM practitioners I think we need to tune in more to communities and create opportunities and resources to support and embed stewardship behaviours.

I’m currently studying a Masters in Protected Area Management and Governance with the University of Tasmania expecting to complete next year.

[Author]

Posts