Flora monitoring protocols for planned burning: a user's guide
Research reports - listed by theme
Research Report No. 74
September 2008
Authors: Cawson, J., Muir A.
To view Research Report 74 open the attached file below.
Fire Research Report No. 74
[PDF File - 2.9 MB]
A complementary document, Research Report 75, explaining methodologies of the flora monitoring protocols is also available: Flora monitoring protocols for planned burning: a rationale report
Summary
The flora monitoring protocols for planned burning: a user’s guide is an important part of the toolkit being developed to assist the planned burning program in Victoria. The planned burning program aims to employ fire for the dual objectives of fuel reduction burns and desirable ecosystem outcomes.
The protocols are designed to help people better understand the relationship between fire and flora species and will ultimately help DSE and Parks Victoria to manage more adaptively.
The protocols provide a consistent methodology for monitoring the effects of planned fire on flora. They explain how to specify monitoring objectives, select sites, train field assessors, collate and analyse data and tailor land and fire management accordingly.
In the future the protocols will be complemented by monitoring protocols for fuels, fauna, habitat and fire behaviour.
The protocols are supported by a fire monitoring database called Argus and a rational report (Flora monitoring protocols for planned burning: a rationale report – Report 75). Field staff, community groups and researchers can use Argus to view and add monitoring data online (http://fireweb.dse.vic.gov.au/argus). The rational report explains the reasoning behind the methodologies chosen in the protocols.
The protocols are currently being used by DSE and Parks Victoria staff throughout Victoria.
Whilst land and fire agencies will be the main users of the protocols, they are likely to be of great interest to community groups who may like to use them to conduct monitoring for their own conservation and management activities or interests.