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Background: Indigenous fire management in northern Australian savannas (beginning at least 11,000 years ago) involved frequent, small, cool, early dry season fires. This fire regime changed after European arrival in the late 1700s to unmanaged fires that burn larger areas, late in the dry season, detrimental to carbon stocks and biodiversity. Aims: Test the hypothesis that significant sequestration of pyrogenic carbon in soil accompanies the reimposition of an Indigenous fire regime. Methods: Savanna soils under the same vegetation, but with the number of fires varying from 0 to 13 (irrespective of the season) between 2000 and 2022 were sampled. Organic and pyrogenic carbon stocks as well as carbon isotope composition of the 0–5 cm soil layer were determined along sample transects with varying fire return intervals. Key results: An average increase of 0.25 MgC ha−1 was observed in soil pyrogenic carbon stocks in transects with ≥5 fires, compared to transects with 0–4 fires, with a small increase in soil organic carbon stocks that was not significant. Conclusions: A return to more frequent fires early in the dry season has the potential to sequester significant pyrogenic carbon in northern Australian savanna soils on decadal timescales. The reimposition of an Indigenous fire regime (frequent, small, cool, early dry season fires) has the potential to sequester significant pyrogenic carbon in northern Australian savanna soils on decadal timescales. We observed an increase of 0.25 MgC ha−1 in transects with ≥5 fires over a 22-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For First Peoples across Australia, birds have important connections to kin and Country. We draw on a recent analysis of all Australia's threatened bird taxa to identify on whose traditional Country they occur. Of the 201 imperilled (threatened or Near Threatened) bird taxa facing threats within Australian territory (including Commonwealth waters and offshore islands), 64% occur on lands and waters to which at least 463 First Peoples' groups have a connection. Fourteen bird taxa occur only on Country of a single First Peoples' group while 15 taxa occur on Country of over 50 First Peoples' groups. Four First Peoples' groups, in north Queensland and south-eastern Australia, have over 20 imperilled bird taxa on their Country. Taxa on First Peoples' Country face 78% of the total national threat load on imperilled birds and have 75% of both the research and management needs for relieving threats. All the threats are a consequence of colonisation, suggesting that supporting First Peoples to manage the threats to birds is a moral, and potentially legal, responsibility. Many First Peoples have chosen to engage actively in the conservation of imperilled species but there are numerous additional opportunities for monitoring and active management of Country that will yield benefits. Our analysis can help First Peoples identify which birds on their Country are listed as threatened under western conventions and that they may wish to help conserve; and assist conservation managers to identify First Peoples who might wish to lead or become more involved in imperilled bird management. The Global Biodiversity Framework strongly supports maximising the involvement of First Peoples in environmental management. There are at least 460 First Peoples' groups on which imperilled birds occur, which provides a wide range of opportunities for management if people so choose. The Countries of many First Peoples' groups supports 10 or more imperilled bird taxa, suggesting that support for Country management will often benefit many taxa. The depth and longevity of First Peoples' connection to Country provides them with a perspective lacking in much management. Because all threats to imperilled birds on First Peoples' Country are derived from settlers, there is a moral, and possible legal, case for supporting First Peoples to manage them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purple-flowered Wattle (Acacia purpureopetala) has a Vulnerable status under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992) and is listed as Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). It grows in eucalypt woodlands of North Queensland. Its post-fire response was examined to better understand its ecology and management requirements. Before and after fire surveys found Purple-flowered Wattle is a fire-killed ‘obligate seeder’ with abundant fire-promoted germination, but limited recruitment in the absence of fire, highlighting the importance of regular burning for generating new plants. Nearly half of Purple-flowered Wattle seedlings began producing seed in their second year, indicating a population tolerant of frequent burning. Combined, the abundant fire-promoted recruitment and rapidly maturing seedlings suggest regular patchy fires that allow some mature plants to survive unburnt while promoting recruitment in burnt areas would benefit the population. A laboratory trial found percentage germination after 3 weeks was significantly higher for seeds treated by soaking in hot water for 5 minutes (31% germination), compared with those soaked in ambient temperature water (4% germination). However, by 5 weeks, germination differences between seed treatment were not statistically significant. The apparent discrepancy where unheated seeds eventually germinated in a laboratory setting, yet in situ germination was almost completely restricted to the post-fire environment, warrants further investigation. It may be that successful germination and seedling establishment in woodlands requires the rapid removal of physical dormancy, or perhaps keeping unheated seed constantly moist for 5 weeks in a laboratory trial is simply an unnatural treatment producing a germination response not relevant to ecosystem function. The abundant fire-triggered germination and rapid maturity of seedlings, combined with the known population number (>4,000 plants) and distribution range (850 km² ), support existing recommendations that Purple-flowered Wattle warrants a Vulnerable rather than Critically Endangered Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) status, as is current at the state level. Management that includes regular patchy burning with good soil moisture that reduces the extent and intensity of individual fires is likely to benefit the long-term preservation of this restricted species and associated species of its ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems managed with contrasting fire regimes provide insight into the responses of vegetation and soil. Heathland, woodland and forest ecosystems along a gradient of resource availability were burnt over four decades in approximately 3‐ or 5‐year intervals or were unburnt for 45–47 years (heathland, woodland), or experienced infrequent wildfires (forest: 14 years since the last fire). We hypothesized that, relative to unburnt or infrequent fires, frequent burning would favour herbaceous species over woody species and resprouting over obligate seeder species, and reduce understorey vegetation height, and topsoil carbon and nitrogen content. Our hypothesis was partially supported in that herbaceous plant density was higher in frequently burnt vegetation; however, woody plant density was also higher in frequently burnt areas relative to unburnt/infrequently burnt areas, across all ecosystems. In heathland, omission of frequent fire resulted in the dominance of fern Gleichenia dicarpa and subsequent competitive exclusion of understorey species and lower species diversity. As hypothesized, frequent burning in woodland and forest increased the density of facultative resprouters and significantly reduced soil organic carbon levels relative to unburnt sites. Our findings confirm that regular burning conserves understorey diversity and maintains an understorey of lower statured herbaceous plants, although demonstrates the potential trade‐off of frequent burning with lower topsoil carbon levels in the woodland and forest. Some ecosystem specific responses to varied fire frequencies were observed, reflecting differences in species composition and fire response traits between ecosystems. Overall, unburnt vegetation resulted in the dominance of some species over others and the different vegetation types were able to withstand relatively high‐frequency fire without the loss of biodiversity, mainly due to high environmental productivity and short juvenile periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire alters habitat structure, thereby influencing fauna reliant on specific habitat features, particularly those with low dispersal capability such as reptiles. We quantified reptile responses to fire regimes in subtropical open eucalypt forests of southeast Queensland, Australia, with differing fire histories to isolate fire parameters that may alter reptile communities. We sampled 15 unique fire regimes from three sites. Active reptile searches and habitat assessments were completed at 74 plots to determine the influence of fire frequency, time since fire and fire type on reptile composition. The combination of fire parameters and habitat variables were key predictors of reptile communities within models. We identified a negative relationship for overall abundance and Lygisaurus foliorum with fire frequency, and higher species richness and abundances of two species in top disposal burn sites. Shrub and tree cover percentage were important predictors of three individual species. Concinnia martini also exhibited a negative response to time since fire. These results highlight the need to consider multiple fire parameters when explaining reptile community responses to fire owing to mixed responses and varied habitat preferences. Detailed recording and consideration of applied fire regimes should support adaptive management in relation to planned burning to support biodiversity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces and analyzes fire climate regimes, steady-state conditions that govern the behavior of fire weather. A simple model representing fire climate was constructed by regressing high-quality regional climate averages against the station-averaged annual Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) for Victoria, Australia. Four FFD indices for fire years 1957–2021 were produced for 10 regions. Regions with even coverage of station-averaged total annual FFDI (ΣFFDI) from 1971–2016 exceeded Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.84, validating its widespread application. Data were analyzed for shifts in mean, revealing regime shifts that occurred between 1996 and 2003 in the southern states and 2012–2013 in Queensland. ΣFFDI shifted up by ~25% in SE Australia to 8% in the west; by approximately one-third in the SE to 7% in the west for days above high fire danger; by approximately half in the SE to 11% in the west for days above very high, with a greater increase in Tasmania; and by approximately three-quarters in the SE to 9% in the west for days above severe FFDI. Attribution of the causes identified regime shifts in the fire season maximum temperature and a 3 p.m. relative humidity, with changing drought factor and rainfall patterns shaping the results. The 1:10 fire season between Regimes 1 and 2 saw a three to seven times increase with an average of five. For the 1:20 fire season, there was an increase of 2 to 14 times with an average of 8. Similar timing between shifts in the Australian FFDI and the global fire season length suggests that these changes may be global in extent. A trend analysis will substantially underestimate these changes in risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019–2020 Australian bushfires were unprecedented both in extent and severity, impacting wildlife through direct mortality as well as habitat damage. More than 10% of koala habitat is estimated to have been affected by fires. Estimating the number of koalas lost is crucial to assess koala conservation status and to determine the appropriate management actions required. However, this is not a trivial task, as accurate data on koala distribution and population density before the fires is patchy. Acknowledging this weakness, we sought to estimate fire impact on koalas at specific sites, by comparing habitat areas affected by the fire with habitat areas that were unaffected by the fire, pairing closely related study sites (based on geography and vegetation). To compare koala density, we deployed two koala detection methods; drone‐acquired thermal imagery and detection dogs coupled with genetic fingerprinting, in four fire‐affected sites paired with four control sites in New South Wales and Queensland. Through drone surveys, we detected 140 koalas in 5,240 ha in New South Wales. The detection dogs found 144 scat samples corresponding to 79 unique koalas in 77 ha of transects in Queensland. Our preliminary results show many koalas were still present in fire‐affected areas after the 2019–2020 bushfire season. Koala density was 24 to 71% lower in fire‐affected sites compared with control sites in three of the habitat pairs, whereas unexpectedly, in the fourth pair, we observed a 317% higher koala density in the fire‐affected site. This underlined that koalas can be present in fire‐affected areas and that monitoring their health could be critical for months after the fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Landscape rehabilitation following mining is required to be resilient to disturbance impacts such as fire, drought and disease. As mining companies undergo the process of rehabilitation certification and mine closure, there are notable knowledge gaps on the ecological risks associated with mature rehabilitated landscapes, based largely on the assumption that rehabilitation is analogous to reference communities. However, the response to fire disturbance across a range of landscapes remains largely untested and in particular there is limited understanding of recovery traits of plant species that occur naturally or are commonly seeded into rehabilitation. In August 2018, a controlled fire was applied to 37 hectares of 12‐year‐old coal‐mine rehabilitation in central Queensland, Australia. We used a combination of (i) ground plot surveys and (ii) drone imagery to compare the vegetation response of burnt woody species to unburnt controls prior to, and for, two years following the fire. The survival of the most dominant shrub species found on the rehabilitation site was significantly impacted by the fire. Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia Lindl. subsp. nummularia) recorded significant post‐fire mortality, with ground surveys recording an average reduction of 89% of stems per hectare across the burnt site, while unburnt controls remained unchanged. The plot data analysis was supported with high spatial and temporal resolution drone imagery, classified using a Random Forest machine‐learning approach. Change analysis of these maps showed a significant decline of 82% in Old Man Saltbush plant density and 92% reduction in foliage cover following the fire. In addition, the mean canopy area of individual Old Man Saltbush shrubs reduced significantly from a pre‐fire mean of 11.3 to 4.8 m2 two years following the fire. A spatial proximity analysis showed that those individuals that survived the fire were located significantly closer to unburnt areas and bare spoil, indicating that discontinuous ground fuel loads can greatly improve the survivability of individuals. This study provides new evidence on the contested fire sensitivity of Old Man Salt bush and demonstrates the risk that future climate‐driven extreme events may have on the resilience of novel ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian 2019/2020 bushfires were unprecedented in their extent and intensity, causing a catastrophic loss of habitat, human and animal life across eastern‐Australia. We use a regional air quality model to assess the impact of the bushfires on particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) concentrations and the associated health impact from short‐term population exposure to bushfire PM2.5. The mean population Air Quality Index (AQI) exposure between September and February in the fires and no fires simulations indicates an additional ∼437,000 people were exposed to "Poor" or worse AQI levels due to the fires. The AQ impact was concentrated in the cities of Sydney, Newcastle‐Maitland, Canberra‐Queanbeyan and Melbourne. Between October and February 171 (95% CI: 66–291) deaths were brought forward due to short‐term exposure to bushfire PM2.5. The health burden was largest in New South Wales (NSW) (109 (95% CI: 41–176) deaths brought forward), Queensland (15 (95% CI: 5–24)), and Victoria (35 (95% CI: 13–56)). This represents 38%, 13% and 30% of the total deaths brought forward by short‐term exposure to all PM2.5. At a city‐level 65 (95% CI: 24–105), 23 (95% CI: 9–38) and 9 (95% CI: 4–14) deaths were brought forward from short‐term exposure to bushfire PM2.5, accounting for 36%, 20%, and 64% of the total deaths brought forward from all PM2.5. Thus, the bushfires caused substantial AQ and health impacts across eastern‐Australia. Climate change is projected to increase bushfire risk, therefore future fire management policies should consider this. Plain Language Summary: The Australian 2019/2020 bushfires were unprecedented in their size and intensity, resulting in a catastrophic loss of habitat and human and animal life across eastern‐Australia. We use an air pollution model (WRF‐Chem) to quantify the impact of the bushfires on particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) concentrations. We run the model with and without emissions from the fires so their impact on PM2.5 can be isolated. We find that between September and February an additional ∼437,000 people were exposed to "Poor" or worse air quality index levels due to the fires across eastern‐Australia. Short‐term exposure to high PM2.5 concentrations has been linked to negative health impacts. Therefore, we estimate the health impact of population exposure to bushfire PM2.5 across eastern‐Australia, regionally and at city level. Our estimate indicates that between October and February 171 deaths were brought forward due to exposure to PM2.5 from the fires. Regionally, most deaths were brought forward in New South Wales (109 deaths brought forward), Queensland (15), and Victoria (35). Within these regions, the most deaths were brought forward in Sydney (65), Melbourne (23), and Canberra‐Queanbeyan (9) as large populations were exposed to high PM2.5 concentrations due to the bushfires. Key Points: The fires led to widespread exposure to "Poor" or worse Air Quality Index levels across eastern‐AustraliaThe highest all‐cause, all‐age mortality from short‐term exposure to bushfire particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) was seen in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, and VictoriaAll‐cause, all‐age mortality from short‐term exposure to bushfire PM2.5 was highest in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fire is a major type of ecological disturbance shaping plant communities and species distributions. Fires in the spring and summer of 2019/2020 in Australia burnt large areas where this type of disturbance was rare in the past, including in the South‐East Queensland region. To assess the potential impacts of these fires, online GIS data layers were used to map where the fires occurred and which protected areas, plant communities and threatened plants were likely burnt. Based on clustering of Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite sensor fire points, 3% (240,000 ha) of the region may have burnt including 107,606 ha of National Parks, sections of 18 Broad Vegetation Groups and 74 Regional Ecosystems and potential habitat of 74 threatened plant species. This included 16% of wet open forests and 13% of rainforests. The results provide preliminary insights into the potential scale of the fires and impact on biodiversity from mapping based on online data, but we also that more detailed mapping including of fire intensity and perimeter combined with ground truthing and ongoing monitoring would be required to better understand changes in fire regimes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies key fire history and fire-related spatial databases that can be utilised for effective planning and assessment of prescribed burns in south-eastern Queensland. To ensure that appropriate fire regimes are maintained for specific management objectives (e.g. biodiversity conservation or risk management), and to assist fire managers with planning prescribed fire and post-fire assessments, we describe, using case studies and existing tools, the application of remote sensing data and derived burned area products together with field data to potentially: (1) improve mapping of fire-prone areas; (2) improve the accuracy of mapping burned areas; (3) monitor temporal changes in fuel structure; and (4) map post-fire severity. This study utilised data collected from aerial and satellite-based multispectral, microwave and laser (LiDAR) sensors. There are several spatial databases and analytical methods available that are not currently used by fire management agencies in this region. For example, the methods to estimate fuel, such as LiDAR, are underutilised and unburned patches within a burned area are not routinely mapped. Better use of spatial datasets could lead to an improved understanding of variables such as fuel status, resulting in more efficient use of fire management resources. Using case studies from the south-east Queensland bioregion, this study demonstrates the relevance of diverse spatial databases for prescribed burn planning, implementation and adaptive monitoring of operational targets. Comparison between available resources and actual burn practices has identified the potential for improved use of spatial databases for holistic fire management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term monitoring of bird communities over time can provide important data for management, and the adaptation of that management over time. We examined data from bird surveys across 37 sites sampled in five different years from 2009 to 2017 in a 56,000-ha tropical savanna conservation reserve, in northern Queensland. Because of the limitations of the survey method and the lack of environmental data for sites, we examined broad patterns in the abundance of small- and large-bodied birds, abundance of Noisy Miners Manorina melanocephala, land type, survey year, and time since last fire. There was some variation in bird species richness and abundance across the land types, years sampled and Noisy Miner abundance; however, the clearest pattern was decreasing numbers of small-bodied birds and increasing Noisy Miner abundance, and an association between time since fire (i.e. <3 years, >5 years), Noisy Miner abundance and diversity in other birds. The apparent and potentially compounding interaction of Noisy Miners and fire could be an emerging problem. Future fire management needs to be embedded in a program of targeted question-driven monitoring and adaptive management, to provide more assured approaches to prescribed burning that enhances bird conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2010, the exotic rust fungus Austropuccinia psidii was detected for the first time in Australia, with the host range rapidly increasing to >350 species from 58 genera within the family Myrtaceae. Commonly known as myrtle rust, the disease is well established in native ecosystems, particularly in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland, impacting on a range of species and associated environments. While fire is considered an important selection agent in the development of Australia's native flora, re-sprouting and germination of seedlings en masse is ideal for the development and spread of A. psidii. Our study took advantage of a unique opportunity to assess the impacts of myrtle rust on species of Myrtaceae regenerating after a wildfire in a northern NSW coastal heath environment. Austropuccinia psidii infection was found on all species of regenerating Myrtaceae with impacts ranging from minor leaf spotting to severe repeated dieback and death of affected trees. This is the first investigation into the impact of myrtle rust in regenerating Myrtaceae following wildfire and highlights a need for more detailed studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Appropriate fire management strategies are needed to protect forests and large old ecologically and culturally significant trees in natural landscapes. The aim of this study was to determine the age of large old and relic trees of cultural significance that included Cypress Pine (Callitris columellaris F. Muell.), a species that is sensitive to crown scorching fires in a fire‐prone landscape, and to calibrate a tree‐growth‐rate method for estimating tree age. Twelve large trees were dated using radiocarbon (14C) dating. The trees are located on North Stradbroke Island (Indigenous name: Minjerribah), southeast Queensland (Australia) in a fire‐prone landscape where recent wildfires have destroyed many large trees. The median tree ages ranged from 155 to 369 years. These results suggest an important role of past Indigenous land management practices in protecting Cypress Pine from crown scorching fires. The tree‐growth‐rate‐based method for estimating tree age generally overestimated the age derived from radiocarbon dating. Bias correction factors were developed for correcting various measures of periodic growth rates. This study provides evidence that appropriate low‐intensity fire strategies have the potential to contribute to the survival of forests and conserve large old trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land management agencies in Queensland conduct planned burning for a variety of reasons, principally for management of fuels for human asset protection and biodiversity management. Using Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service's archived manually derived fire reports, this study considered the individual components of the fire regime (extent, frequency and season) to determine variation between planned and unplanned fire regimes in south-east Queensland. Overall, between 2004 and 2015, planned fire accounted for 31.6% and unplanned fire 68.4% of all fire on Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service state-managed land. Unplanned fire was more common in spring (September–October), and planned fire was more common in winter (June–August). Unplanned fire affected 71.4% of open forests and woodlands (148 563 ha), whereas 58.8% of melaleuca communities (8016 ha) and 66.6% of plantations (2442 ha) were burnt with planned fire. Mapping fire history at a regional scale can be readily done with existing publicly available datasets, which can be used to inform the assessment of planned burning effectiveness for human asset protection and the management of biodiversity. Fire management will benefit from the continued recording of accurate fire occurrence data, which allows for detailed fire regime mapping and subsequent adaptive management of fire regimes in the public domain. Using past fire records, we identified planned and unplanned fire occurrences between 2004 and 2015 in south-east Queensland. Unplanned fires covered a larger extent, were more frequent and occurred mostly in spring, whereas planned fires occurred mostly in winter. The use of accurate fire records in mapping enhances fire management capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our 11 year multidisciplinary study of Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in St Bees Island National Park provides an understanding of the implications of the strategic use of fire and control of introduced browsers, goat and swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) for the maintenance of Koalas, Koala habitat and eucalypt woodlands within the national park. The research involved a close association with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and their staff. This relationship integrated research, park planning and management. The project is a model for research-management integration, especially in relation to information relevance, relationships and understandable, timely communication of research findings. We propose strategies for more general application of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is circumstantial evidence that grasslands on the Bunya Mountains were once maintained by Aboriginal burning, and with lack of fire under European management are being colonised by trees. To assess the efficacy of burning for maintaining grasslands, 119 fires were lit between 1996 and 2006. The total area of unburnt grasslands decreased by 27%, while grasslands burnt at least once decreased by 1%. The density of invading trees was recorded from fixed plots on 23 grasslands burnt between one and six times. Cassinia was virtually eliminated and the density of the Rainforest species guild slowly but continually declined. Acacia irrorata exhibited a humped response, with initial increases resulting from vegetative resprouting and gradual decline with persistent burning. Phyllodinous Acacia and Woodland trees were the least fire sensitive guilds, having stable or increased density with repeated burning. Multi-factor regression modelling detected no significant relationships between changes in woody plant density and the interval between fires, fire intensity, the initial density of large trees, an index of soil moisture, or the cumulative number of fires for any species guild. The survivorship of both Cassinia and Rainforest guilds was significantly lower with summer burning than winter burning, but a seasonal effect of burning was not evident for other guilds. The findings suggest that regardless of fire conditions, frequent burning will reduce the number of adult trees, maintain resprouts in an immature state, facilitate further fire and reduce the rate of grassland loss. Woodland species are especially resilient to fire, and burning to maintain grassy ecosystems will be most successful where the main colonisers are rainforest species and burning is conducted in summer. The findings suggest that the montane grasslands of the Bunya Mountains were maintained by anthropogenic burning and active fire management will prolong their existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) an entity of the Environment Protection Agency, administers a large reserve system for which fire management is crucial. A customised agency geographic information system (GIS) known as ParkInfo, has become increasingly important to support innovations in fire policy and practice. Integrating fire zoning, fire history, vegetation and other data, ParkInfo provides a simple but powerful tool supporting fire planning, implementation and reporting. Aimed at field-based ranger stall, many of whom have a limited knowledge of mainstream GIS, ParkInfo allows easy access to relevant GIS data through a simple to use interface. Custom built modules guide users through the process of recording fire and pest data, easing and standardising data capture. Reports are generated about individual fire or pest management activities, or about overall fire and pest management performance. Staff cam visually interrogate numerous layers and undertake simple analyses aimed at aiding management. Specific modules enable the easy production of hardcopy maps and integration with global positioning (GPS) technology. The fire and pest data are extracted twice a year and merged to create a statewide database enabling reporting and analysis of trends. Significantly, ParkInfo captures fire history to aid future planning decisions. ParkInfo has instigated organisational change within QPWS by providing access to GIS technology and providing tools for improved fire management. The application has been embraced to varying degrees by staff across the state and in many areas it is now- an integral component of land management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed increasing attention in theory and practice to participatory approaches to policy appraisal, in part due to the potential of such approaches to facilitate reflexive policy appraisal. It has been observed, however, that in practice these approaches are often as prone as traditional, non-participatory appraisal techniques to being limited in the extent to which that can achieve reflexivity e.g. due to the influence of interests and power and problems of representation. This article explores the extent to which Q Methodology, or ‘Q’, can play a role in ‘opening up’ (Stirling Science, Technology & Human Values, 33, 262–294, 2008) policy to reflexive appraisal. A Q study of fire management discourses in Cape York, northern Australia is presented which exposes the existence of four key discourses in the region: discourse A—rational fire management; discourse B—fire-free conservation; discourse C—pragmatic, locally controlled burning; and discourse D—indigenous controlled land management. At present only discourses A and C are reflected in policy. Appraising existing policy on the basis of the different constructions articulated by discourses B and D of the purpose of and practices involved in fire management, is successful in opening up existing policy to reflexive appraisal. In the face of considerable scientific uncertainty as to the ecological impacts of different burning regimes in northern Australia, this process of opening up has important potential for appraising the social desirability of existing policy and practice in the region. This analysis provides a practical demonstration of the wider potential of Q Methodology in opening up other important contemporary policy issues to reflexive appraisal. It also provides the basis for recommending the expansion of participatory processes for facilitating stakeholder engagement in fire management policy and practice in Cape York. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participatory systems analysis was used to construct system models of the operating environment for fire management in conservation reserves in north Queensland, Australia. The aim of the study was to identify stumbling blocks to the adaptive management of fire and to test whether this could be done using participatory methods and a systems modelling tool called Bayesian Belief Networks (BBN). Results from the case study indicate that the participatory system analysis approach provides a co-learning environment that captures the collective (corporate) knowledge of the factors influencing planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing outcomes, thus allowing critical success factors (CSFs) influencing the success of adaptive management to be identified. BBN provided the scaffolding for piecing together this knowledge, allowing managers to structure complex problems and conduct dynamic sensitivity and scenario analysis to identify where intervention or investment can significantly improve the practice of adaptive management within a natural resource management (NRM) agency. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litterfall helps maintaining nutrient return in forest ecosystems. However, the influence of long-term prescribed burning on the dynamics of litterfall biomass and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling is poorly understood. A 39-year old prescribed burning field trial in a wet sclerophyll forest, southeast Queensland, Australia, was used to investigate the interactive effects of prescribed fire regimes and temporal variation on the quantity and quality of litterfall and C and N return. Treatments included no burning (NB) since 1969, 2 yearly burning (2yrB; burned 19 times) and 4 yearly burning (4yrB; burned 9 times) since 1972. Litterfall was collected monthly on 32 occasions between 2011 and 2013. Significant temporal variation was observed in monthly and annual litterfall biomass. Both burning treatments had lower monthly inputs of total litterfall and leaf litter, mean annual cumulative litter biomass, litter C concentrations and C return via leaf litter, compared with the NB treatment. Most significant reductions in litter N concentrations and N return via litter were associated with 2yrB treatment. The 4yrB and the NB treatments did not differ significantly in terms of twig biomass, litterfall C:N ratios and N return via leaf litter. Despite both long-term prescribed burning treatments negatively impacting C return to the soil by reducing the quantity and quality of litter inputs, previous studies at the site suggest no difference in 0-10 cm soil organic carbon levels between the 4yrB treatment and the unburnt treatment. Hence a longer period of prescribed burning at the 4yrB frequency is likely required before lower C return translates to differences in ecosystem productivity in this wet sclerophyll forest ecosystem. The 2yrB can potentially alter forest C and N cycling and net primary productivity, but these alterations are unlikely to be detected through short-term studies., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The article presents a discussion of the study concerning the management insight dynamics in tropical sandstone vegetation in North-West, Queensland. It confirms the often-observed feature of tropical eucalypt woodlands, particularly the presence of some short-lived plants which are fire promoted. It mentions that these plants cause an initial increase in plant diversity soon after fire, and a decline with years since fire. Some of the factors that determines fire intervals relative to seedling is identified. In relation, Grevillea's reproduction and Spinifex growth are discussed.