Fire & Biodiversity
Most of Victoria ’s native plants and animals have lived with fire for generations and need it to survive and flourish. Many plants in forest, woodland, heathland and grassland ecosystems have adaptations that enable them to regenerate naturally after fire. These include woody cones to protect seeds, buds protected by thick bark or found on underground roots and the ability of the plant to release seed, which is then stored in the soil. However, some ecosystems like rainforests and alpine moss beds and peat bogs have a very low tolerance to fire and need to be protected.
Fire needs to be managed to protect life, property and the natural environment. Managing fire for human safety and for biodiversity outcomes in our parks and forests can be complementary. A coordinated response involves:
- In areas near where people live –controlled burning to reduce fuel loads to protect life and property.
- In most other public bushland areas (parks, forests and other reserves)-appropriate controlled burning to maintain the health of our ecosystems.
The following brochure provides information on Fire and Biodiversity, and is suitable for school students.
Fire and Biodiversity DL brochure (PDF - 290 Kb)The following 'Fire and Biodiversity in Victoria's Parks and Forests' brochure explains in some detail how appropriate ecological burns are planned and implemented on public land in Victoria. It is written for those who seek a greater understanding of the science and policy behind ecological burning.
Fire and Biodiversity A4 brochure (PDF - 595 Kb)Guidelines and Procedures for Ecological Burning on Public land in Victoria 2004.
This document outlines the principles, standards and planning procedures for ecological burning on public land throughout Victoria. It is written for public land managers.
The document begins by outlining the legislative and policy framework relating to the use of fire. It then outlines some universal principles, based on the best available science, for the application of fire for ecological purposes and the information required to report on achievements.
Finally, it concludes with a consideration of the steps involved in implementation and clarifies who is responsible for these.
The objective is to provide a practical and adaptive framework to guide management decisions. It should be emphasised that these are guidelines and are not prescriptive. They should be interpreted in the light of local biodiversity and fire information.
Ecological burning is fundamentally important for maintaining many of the State ’s biodiversity assets. In this sense, ecological burning assists park and forest managers to achieve the government ’s objectives for sustainability. Burning for ecological purposes can complement burning to protect human life and property. We encourage all public land managers to familiarise themselves with these guidelines and procedures.
Guidelines and Procedures for Ecological Burning on Public Land in Victoria 2004 (PDF - 591 Kb)