canberrabirds

Land clearing & controlled burns

To: "Canberrabirds" <>
Subject: Land clearing & controlled burns
From: "John Layton" <>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 12:35:24 +1000
I was interested to read Ben Whitworth's and Mark Clayton's comments regarding local land clearing and controlled burns – food for thought.  To state the obvious, it's a subject far from immune from controversy.
 
I'm often challenged by the question: Australian plants have evolved to survive fire and recover well, often with seemingly renewed vigor. In fact many seeds require fire in order to germinate, so what's so bad about a bit of controlled burning. So what's the answer in a nutshell? I want to put it in my mental file for future reference at short notice.
 
Good to be reminded that Acacia baileyana provides food for Superb Parrots. I've often sided with the opinion (expressed on this chat line just a couple of days back) that introduced plants can be important for birds.
 
Some years ago, while walking on Black Mountain, a David Bellamy type hurled his pack down, threw his arms out with palms upturned, rolled his eyes towards the firmament and bellowed like a lovelorn camel. I thought Black Mountain's formidable Formicidae had encroached upon his sensitivities. With that he tore a seedling A. baileyana from the ground and held it triumphantly as if he'd captured the botanical equivalent of Osama Bin Laden. I gave him a ten-second verbal burst, primarily because he spattered me with moist earth and, secondly, because I have a low tolerance for such silly histrionics as I believe (probably a no-brainer) they do nothing to advance the cause of reasonable, erudite conservationists.
 
John K. Layton
 
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU