❓ Question seeks clarification on the Department of Environment and Conservation's stance on Noongar fire management practices in jarrah forests and the validity of grasstree fire history reconstruction. The answer acknowledges the practice but expresses uncertainty about the grasstree technique.
AnsweredQoN 192Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Will the Minister please provide the official position of the Department of Environment and Conservation on -
(a) the hypothesis that the Noongars burnt the jarrah forest every three to five years; and
(b) the technique used to construct this fire history, namely the dark bands on the stems of grasstrees (balga)?
(a) the hypothesis that the Noongars burnt the jarrah forest every three to five years; and
(b) the technique used to construct this fire history, namely the dark bands on the stems of grasstrees (balga)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 March 2009
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
97 days
(a) There is historical and biological evidence that parts of the jarrah forest were burnt as frequently as every three to five years by both lightning-caused fires and Noongars, but other parts were likely to have burnt less frequently, resulting in a variety of fire regimes across the range of the jarrah forest.
(b) There are unresolved uncertainties surrounding the use of the grasstree technique to reconstruct fire histories in natural ecosystems. Further research, including rigorous testing of the method across a range of observers and a variety of sites, is required before firm conclusions can be drawn about the validity of the technique.
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(b) There are unresolved uncertainties surrounding the use of the grasstree technique to reconstruct fire histories in natural ecosystems. Further research, including rigorous testing of the method across a range of observers and a variety of sites, is required before firm conclusions can be drawn about the validity of the technique.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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