Management

Create an action plan

Land managers can use this section to create an action plan to achieve their goals for carbon farming, wildlife conservation, or a combination of both.

Grow carbon

To grow carbon, the management aims for all condition states are to:

maximise the height and diameter of existing trees (as much as possible without reducing the productivity of the site, e.g. brigalow trees in the east are notably taller and have larger diameters than those in the west)
increase the density of large trees to reach the typical tree density for the vegetation type (or managers may choose a lower target tree density, but this will limit the site reaching its maximum carbon state)
ensure that the number of new trees growing into the canopy is adequate to replace losses from dying large trees, by allowing seedlings, suckers and saplings to develop into trees
if generating carbon credits, vegetation is managed in line with the rules of the relevant method being used.

Conserve wildlife

To conserve wildlife the management aims are the same as those for growing carbon (above), with the addition of:

avoid actions that kill or injure wildlife (e.g. clearing, fire)
provide a range of shelter options and food resources for wildlife
manage fire and grazing to allow ongoing recruitment of all plant species
protect and restore landscape features that support wildlife
control competitors and predators that threaten wildlife (e.g. feral animals, weeds, aggressive honeyeaters).

Rainfall and temperature will have a large influence on the potential for reforestation and carbon accumulation on your site. However, other factors may also need to be managed, including fire and grazing. The history of the site will generally determine the amount of initial effort and ongoing maintenance needed to restore it.

To determine which actions apply to your site:

Identify your site’s condition state.
Select whether your goal is farming carbon, conserving wildlife, or both.
Use the table below to compile a list of management actions for the condition state and goals of your site.

Management actions

This table lists management actions for restoring and maintaining brigalow.

Actions that maximise carbon have ‘increase’ in the carbon column; those that conserve wildlife have ‘increase’ in the wildlife column.

Crosses indicate which actions are relevant to which condition states.

Condition states 1, 2, 3 and 5 have been grouped because their management actions are the same.

Clearing and thinning
Action	Benefits and impacts	Carbon	Wildlife	1,2,3 & 5	4	6
1. No clearing of live trees and shrubs	Clearing brigalow will reduce the rate of carbon gain, decrease the capacity of the vegetation to store carbon, and produce a net carbon loss Clearing removes plants and animals, and also removes the food and shelter of animals that depend on trees and shrubs Land clearing has a severe impact on animals that have little or no capacity for dispersal, such as the many species of land snails which occur in brigalow	increase	increase	x	x
2. Retain dead standing trees and shrubs, and fallen timber (minimise or avoid collection for firewood, or ‘cleaning up’)	Dead trees and fallen timber contribute to the amount of carbon stored Dead trees (especially those with hollows) and fallen timber are important for wildlife for shelter and foraging	increase	increase	x	x	x
3. Encourage the growth and survival of large trees	Healthy, large trees make a substantial contribution to the amount of carbon stored Large trees are more likely to contain and form hollows, provide shelter and foraging sites for wildlife, and they can take a very long time to replace	increase	increase	x	x	x
4. Selectively thin brigalow when stem densities are very high (e.g. > 10,000 stems per hectare)	It is likely that thinning will improve the rate of carbon accumulation in dense stands, though it may not increase the total carbon stored by brigalow vegetation in the longer term Effective, thinning of brigalow requires methods that are time and labour-intensive. Reducing density too far will also slow forest growth and increase fire and weed risk. Optimum density is around 6000 stems per hectare Thinning brigalow appears to benefit wildlife by speeding up the growth of large trees, and increasing the species diversity of woody plants	increase	increase	x

Fire
Action	Benefits and impacts	Carbon	Wildlife	1,2,3 & 5	4	6
5. Prevent and suppress moderate to high severity fire in the brigalow area to be restored	Moderate to high severity fires result in net carbon loss by consuming the carbon stored in trees, shrubs, dead wood and litter Trees, shrubs, dead wood and litter that would be damaged or destroyed by fire all provide shelter and foraging sites for wildlife	increase	increase	x	x	x
6. If grass fuel loads are likely to build up in the brigalow area to be restored, conduct patchy, low-severity burns, when soil moisture is high, to reduce the risk of moderate to high severity fires (hot fires)	Repeated small fires can reduce the rate of carbon gain by removing small trees and coarse woody debris, and decrease the capacity of the vegetation to store carbon by limiting the recruitment of brigalow and other fire-sensitive species. But small carbon losses are preferable to potentially larger losses from unplanned wildfire Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #5) May have negative impacts on small relatively immobile species such as insects and land snails, but these are preferable to the larger impacts of more extensive and severe hot fires on wildlife	increase	increase	x	x	x
7. Conduct low severity burns, when soil moisture is high, in the surrounding vegetation, if the surrounding vegetation is fire-adapted. Aim to create a mosaic of burnt and unburnt areas around the brigalow area to be restored	Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #5)	increase	increase	x	x	x
8. Use grazing management to reduce high fuel loads in the brigalow area to be restored (this needs to be balanced with allowing the establishment and growth of woody plants—see #10 below)	Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #5)	increase	increase	x	x	x
9. Use grazing management to reduce high fuel loads in the surrounding vegetation, if the surrounding vegetation includes pasture	Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #5)	increase	increase	x	x	x
10. Rake litter and debris away from the base of large and hollow trees before prescribed burning	Healthy, large trees make a substantial contribution to the amount of carbon stored Helps to protect important habitat trees from scorching, and premature death	increase	increase	x	x	x

Grazing
Action	Benefits and impacts	Carbon	Wildlife	1,2,3 & 5	4	6
11. Manage grazing to allow tree recruitment to reach or maintain the tree density required	Uncontrolled grazing may reduce carbon gain and storage by disturbing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and trampling woody debris and litter Uncontrolled grazing by stock, can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the recruitment and growth of brigalow, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber	increase	increase	x	x	x
12. Control wallabies, kangaroos and feral herbivores (animals that are adapted to eat plants e.g. goats) if they are in sufficient densities to prevent the recruitment of native trees and shrubs	Uncontrolled grazing may reduce carbon gain and storage by disturbing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and trampling woody debris and litter Uncontrolled grazing by feral and native animals can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the recruitment and growth of brigalow, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber	increase	increase	x	x	x

Site preparation and plant establishment
Action	Benefits and impacts	Carbon	Wildlife	4	6
13. Use slashing or low severity fire to reduce the herbaceous plant cover before direct seeding or tubestock/sucker planting	Improves the establishment and growth of woody plants by reducing competition	increase	increase	x	x
14. Revegetate treeless areas with native trees and shrubs (especially brigalow, eucalypts and belah) using direct seeding or tubestock. If brigalow seed or tubestock is scarce, try transplanting small suckers	Establishing and growing woody plants increases the rate and amount of carbon stored A diversity of woody plant species of different sizes and ages provides food and habitat for wildlife	increase	increase	x	x
15. Establish a diversity of tree and shrub species in areas without woody plants	A diversity of woody plant species of different sizes and ages provides food and habitat for wildlife		increase	x	x
16. If new brigalow plants are slow to establish via natural regeneration, use mechanical disturbance (e.g. disc ploughing or stem cutting) when soil moisture is low, to promote brigalow suckering	Establishment and growth of woody plants increases the rate and amount of carbon stored A diversity of woody plant species of different sizes and ages provides food and habitat for wildlife	increase	increase	x

Competitors and predators
Action	Benefits and impacts	Carbon	Wildlife	1,2,3 & 5	4	6
17. Prevent the introduction and spread of exotic grasses and other serious weeds. Vehicles, machinery, quad bikes and stock can all spread weeds	Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire Exotic pasture species appear to have a negative impact on the richness and diversity of plant species, and the recruitment and growth of many native plant species	increase	increase	x	x	x
18. Control buffel grass by slashing or conducting low-severity burns at the end of its growing season (end of the wet season, approximately April), and then applying herbicide when it resprouts. Hand-pulling (or ‘grubbing’) is also an effective (but highly labour intensive) method of control. Aim to get canopy shading by trees and shrubs for long-term buffel grass control	Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire Exotic pasture species (like buffel grass) appear to have a negative impact on the richness and diversity of plant species, and the recruitment and growth of many native plant species	increase	increase		x	x
19. Encourage dense growth of native trees and shrubs on site edges to suppress the growth of grasses. Mechanical disturbance of soil around brigalow plants (e.g. disc ploughing or ripping or stem cutting) (when soil moisture is low) may promote suckering and high densities of brigalow stems	Limits grass fuel loads (especially buffel grass) on site edges, and reduces the risk of fire entering the site See #18 for other benefits of grass control	increase	increase	x	x	x
20. Use high grazing pressure by stock to control exotic grasses, once native trees and shrubs are tall enough to handle grazing.	Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire Exotic pasture species (like buffel grass) appear to have a negative impact on the richness and diversity of plant species, and the recruitment and growth of many native plant species The level of grazing required to control buffel grass may be just as destructive to wildlife as the buffel grass itself. More trials are needed to assess the effectiveness and impacts of this method	increase	?		x	x
21. Control feral animal species in brigalow where these are having a negative impact on wildlife and plant regeneration	The feral pig is probably the most serious animal pest in brigalow vegetation, although cats, foxes and goats also threaten native plants and animals through predation, competition and spreading disease Management actions that have adverse effects on wildlife should be avoided if possible, or implemented in stages		increase	x	x	x
22. Control weed species where these are having a negative impact on wildlife	Management actions that have adverse effects on wildlife should be avoided if possible, or implemented in stages		increase	x	x	x
23. Reduce numbers of aggressive honeyeaters (noisy miners and yellow-throated miners), where these are having a negative impact on wildlife, by modifying habitat	Miners can have a strong negative influence on the abundance and species richness of other native birds Direct control of miners is not recommended Increasing the size of brigalow patches, and the density of understorey shrubs, will help to exclude miners, and provide a more suitable habitat for small birds		increase	x	x	x

Other actions for wildlife
Action	Benefits and impacts	Wildlife	1,2,3 & 5	4	6
24. Retain and restore tree and shrub patches of different sizes, ages and stem densities	More wildlife species are likely to be supported if there is a range of vegetation growth types	increase	x	x	x
25. Provide nest boxes if hollows are scarce	Tree hollows provide important shelter and foraging sites for wildlife	increase	x	x	x
26. Encourage the establishment and growth of yellowwood (Terminalia oblongata) trees north from about Springsure to Biloela in Queensland	Increasing the amount of vegetation containing yellowwood is likely to increase populations of the brown awl butterfly Badamia exclamationis	increase	x	x	x
27. Retain and protect mistletoe on brigalow and other woody plant species	Mistletoe provides nectar, berries and nesting sites for many animal species, including the threatened painted honeyeater	increase	x	x
28. Retain and protect rocks and rock outcrops	Many threatened brigalow reptiles use rocks or rocky areas for shelter, including the collared delma, short-necked worm-skink, brigalow scaly-foot and yakka skink Some plant species may only be found around rocky areas Rocky areas provide habitat for invertebrates	increase	x	x	x
29. Retain and protect leaf litter (including fallen leaves, bark and twigs)	In brigalow vegetation, leaf litter is used as shelter by several threatened reptile species (the common death adder, short-necked worm-skink and Dunmall’s snake), and provides habitat for invertebrates	increase	x	x	x
30. Retain and protect gilgais (melonholes)	Gilgais in brigalow vegetation attract waterbirds, and provide a unique habitat for a range of plant species including the waterplant Aponogeton queenslandicus and the bush tomato Solanum adenophorum Gilgais can also be prolific breeding sites for frogs, which are the diet of the threatened ornamental snake Denisonia maculata, which is unique to central Queensland	increase	x	x	x
31. Minimise or avoid the use of insecticides in brigalow areas to be restored, and prevent spray drift from adjacent areas to protect invertebrates	Invertebrates deserve protection in their own right, but also provide food for other animals, and ecosystem services such as pollination and seed dispersal	increase	x	x	x

Other considerations

Rainfall will have a large bearing on the success of management actions.

Lower or more strongly seasonal rainfall, and higher maximum summer temperatures have negative overall effects on biomass accumulation.

Extended dry periods may cause the death of mature trees.

Fire severity

This table is reproduced from the planned burn guidelines.

It describes the features of a range of fire severities that may be encountered in open forests and woodlands in Queensland.

(Note: Based on fuel load at 8 t/ha, grasses cured at 90%, Byram fireline intensity at 18,000 kj/kg.)

Fire intensity (during the fire)
Fire severity class	Fire intensity (kilowatts per meter—kWm-1)	Average flame height (m)
Low (L)	<150	<0.5
Moderate (M)	150–500	0.5–1.5
High (H)	500–1000	1.5–3.0
Very high (H)	1000–3000	3.0–10.0
Extreme (E)	>3000	>10.0

Fire severity (post fire)
Fire severity class	Average scorch height (m)	Description (loss of biomass)
Low (L)	<2.5	Significant patchiness. Litter retained but charred. Humus layer retained. Nearly all habitat trees, fallen logs, and grass stubble retained. Some scorching of elevated fuels. Little or no canopy scorch.
Moderate (M)	2.5–7.5	Moderate patchiness. Some scorched litter remains. About half the humus layer and grass stubble remain. Most habitat trees and fallen logs retained. Some scorch of elevated fuels. Little or no canopy scorch.
High (H)	7.5–15.0	Some patchiness. Some humus remains. Some habitat trees and fallen logs affected. At least some canopy scorch in moderate < 20m height canopy, mid stratum burnt completely (or nearly so).
Very high (H)	Extensive scorching	All understorey burnt to ash (or nearly so). Most habitat trees and fallen logs affected. Extensive crown scorch.
Extreme (E)	Partial or total defoliation	All understorey burnt to ash (or nearly so). Loss of nearly all habitat trees and fallen logs. Partial or total defoliation.

Last updated:: 17 January 2020
Last reviewed:: 28 June 2023

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