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Potential for the dispersal of weed seeds on clothing: An example with Gamba Grass in northern Australia
Author(s) -
k a scott
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
ecological management and restoration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.472
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1442-8903
pISSN - 1442-7001
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2009.00443.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , weed , clothing , geography , citation , agroforestry , library science , biology , demography , computer science , sociology , agronomy , archaeology , population
The project was initiated to counter the degrading effects on natural systems of altered fire regimes. Before the project, the Kimberley’s fire patterns were dominated by frequent extensive wildfires in the midto-late dry season – which contributed to observed biodiversity losses, degradation of ecological processes and cultural values, and reduced pastoral production. EcoFire aims to restore biodiversity, pastoral and cultural values by reducing the incidence of these fires in the central and north Kimberley. It achieves this through strategic coordinated regional fire management across the 14 properties (5 million ha). Each year, the effectiveness of EcoFire in decreasing the size of unplanned fires and increasing the patchwork of burnt and unburnt areas across the region is examined. Fire patterns are compared against five targets to measure whether the goal of less intense and patchier fires is being achieved. To date, EcoFire’s prescribed burn programme has resulted in a substantial change to regional fire patterns. After just 1 year, improvements were achieved in all five targets including shifting more fires into the early rather than the mid-to-late dry season (i.e. 41% of all fires occurred early in the dry season during 2007, compared with 4–27% in the previous three years), and decreasing the average size of mid-late dry season fires. This was accomplished by an aerial prescribed burning programme, excellent on-ground knowledge of conditions and fire histories, and full participation by landowners and managers in the project areas. The success of the project has relied on having a coordinated and strategic approach to fire management; clear measureable outcomes; successful engagement by participants with diverse interests and backgrounds (including frequent and personal communication and encouragement of ownership); productive partnerships with state and local government agencies; employment of a project leader who is a member of the community; and the flexibility to allow participants with various backgrounds (pastoralist, indigenous, conservation managers) to approach fire management differently. EcoFire is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust via the Rangelands Natural Resource Management Coordinating Group, who contracted the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) to undertake the project. Given the widespread concern about changed fire regimes and biodiversity, the popularity of the project in the region, and the potential for capitalizing on greenhouse gas emission reductions, AWC anticipates sourcing funding to continue this project indefinitely.