<
https://theconversation.com/our-tall-wet-forests-were-not-open-and-park-like-when-colonists-arrived-and-we-shouldnt-be-burning-them-228601>
"Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s
Biggest Estate on
Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open
through frequent burning by First Nations people. Advocates for widespread
thinning and burning of these forests have relied on this belief. They argue
fire is needed to return these forests to their “pre-invasion” state.
A key question then is: what does the evidence say about what tall, wet forests
actually looked like 250 years ago? The answer matters because it influences
how these forests are managed. It’s also needed to guide efforts to restore
them to their natural state.
In a new scientific paper, we looked carefully at the body of evidence on the
natural pre-invasion state of Australian forests, such as those dominated by
majestic mountain ash (
Eucalyptus regnans), the world’s tallest flowering
plant. We analysed historical documents, First Nations Peoples’ recorded
testimonies and the scientific evidence.
Our analysis shows most areas of mainland mountain ash forests were likely to
have been dense and wet at the time of British invasion. The large overstorey
eucalypt trees were relatively widely spaced, but there was a dense understorey
of broad-leaved shrubs, tree ferns and mid-storey trees, including elements of
cool temperate rainforest."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
