Management
Create an action plan
Land managers can use this section to create an action plan to achieve their goals for either carbon farming, wildlife conservation, or a combination of both.
Grow carbon
To grow carbon, the management aims for all states are:
- maximise the height and diameter of existing trees (as much as possible without reducing the productivity of the site too much)
- increase the density of large trees to reach the typical tree density for the vegetation type (or managers can choose a lower target tree density, but this may 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. This can be achieved by allowing seedlings and saplings to develop into trees
- if gnerating carbon credits, vegetation is managed in line with the rules of the relevant method being used.
Grow carbon and 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)
- 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 such as connection to other habitats and water
- control competitors and predators that threaten wildlife (e.g. feral animals, weeds).
Rainfall and temperature will have a large influence on the potential for reforestation and carbon accumulation on your site. However, other factors, such as fire and grazing, may also require management. The history of the site will generally determine the amounts 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 to increase benefits from 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.
- Refer to managing tree density to find out how to achieve target tree densities using strategic grazing and fire management.
Management actions
This table lists management actions for restoring and maintaining eucalypt open-forests.
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 and 4; and 3 and 5 have been grouped because their management actions are the same.
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. No broadscale clearing of live trees and shrubs | Clearing eucalypt open-forests will generally reduce the rate of carbon gain, decrease the capacity of the vegetation to store carbon, and produce a net carbon loss. Thinning may provide some benefit in extremely dense stands but thinned trees should be retained as debris on site and any thinning must comply with the applicable CFI methodology if you are managing a CFI project. Careful selective harvesting is compatible with carbon farming, but this will generally slow the rate of carbon gain, and reduce the amount of carbon stored Clearing removes plants and animals, and also removes the food and shelter of animals that depend on trees and shrubs Animals which have little or no capacity for dispersal are severely impacted by land clearing | 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 Raking litter away from dead standing trees can help retain them through fires (see #9) | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 3. Encourage the growth and survival of large trees (this may involve thinning) | 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 Raking litter away from hollow bearing trees can help them survive fires (see #9) | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Prevent and suppress moderate to high severity fires | 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 | x |
| 5. If fuel loads in the understorey are likely to build up, conduct patchy, low-severity burns, when soil moisture is high, to reduce the risk of moderate to high severity fires | Repeated small fires can reduce the rate of carbon gain by removing small trees and shrubs, 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 #4) | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 6. Use grazing management to reduce high fuel loads (this needs to be balanced with establishing and growing woody plants—see #10 below) | Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #4) | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 7. Use grazing management or low severity burns, when soil moisture is high, to reduce high fuel loads in the surrounding vegetation | Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #4) | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 8. Maintain a range of burning practices that create a fine-scale mosaic of fire histories in the landscape, including unburnt areas, and to avoid hot fires, especially late in the dry season | Native species have diverse responses to fire, so a mosaic of low severity burns that are patchy in space and time should help to conserve the greatest number of species | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 9. 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 and hollow trees are essential habitat features for many native wildlife Helps to protect important habitat trees from scorching, and premature death | increase | increase | x | x |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10. Manage grazing to allow tree recruitment (see managing tree density) | Uncontrolled grazing may reduce carbon gain and storage by disturbing tree and shrub growth and establishment, and trampling woody debris and litter Uncontrolled grazing can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the recruitment and growth of trees, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber. | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 11. Control macropods and feral animals (e.g. goats, pigs, rabbits) if they are in sufficient densities to prevent the recruitment of native trees and shrubs (see managing tree density) | 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 trees, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber. | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 12. Establish and maintain an intact pasture/ground layer with appropriate density of perennial (plants that live for more than 2 years) ground layer species | An intact ground layer will reduce erosion and improve water infiltration. This will benefit tree establishment and growth. | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 13. Establish and maintain an intact ground layer of native plant species, with appropriate density of perennial ground layer species | A ground layer of native plant species will reduce erosion, improve water infiltration and help to conserve wildlife | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 14. Manage domestic, native and feral herbivores (animals that are adapted to eat plants) to maintain low to moderate levels of grazing pressure | Uncontrolled grazing by domestic, feral and native animals can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the recruitment and growth of trees, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber Providing areas of low to moderate grazing pressure will favour many native plant and animal species that find it difficult to survive in highly-grazed landscapes | increase | x | x | x | x |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. Reduce the cover of dense shrubs in areas where canopy tree recruitment is needed. Tree recruitment may be by natural seed sources, direct seeding, or tubestock planting. | Improves the establishment and growth of woody plants by reducing competition This action may have negative effects on wildlife by removing habitat/cover and making the site more suitable for aggressive honeyeaters (a family of birds). To reduce these risks, reduce shrub cover in small areas only, and implement shrub removal in stages, over months or years | increase | x | x | |||
| 16. Use slashing or low severity fire, when soil moisture is high, to reduce the cover of herbaceous plants before direct seeding or tubestock planting | Improves the establishment and growth of woody plants by reducing competition | increase | increase | x | x | ||
| 17. Revegetate treeless areas with native trees and shrubs using direct seeding or tubestock, when good rains are expected. Try to use seeds and tubestock sourced from local populations of the species that grow on your site. Avoid introducing germs to your site by using seed and tubestock that are free of pests and diseases | 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 | ||
| 18. Establish a diversity of tree and shrub species | A diversity of woody plant species of different sizes and ages provides food and habitat for wildlife | increase | x | x | x | x |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19. Avoid management actions that will lead to the development of a uniformly dense shrub layer. Some shrub species will germinate prolifically after fire | A uniformly dense shrub layer (> 50% cover throughout the site) may prevent the recruitment of canopy trees | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 20. Control weedy shrubs (such as lantana) before they form a dense shrub layer |
A uniformly dense shrub layer (> 50% cover throughout the site) may prevent the recruitment of canopy trees.
Find out more about lantana control on the weeds website | increase | increase | x | x | x | x |
| 21. Prevent the introduction and spread of serious weeds. Vehicles, machinery, quad bikes and stock can all spread weeds | For more information read about the management of Weeds of National Significance | increase | x | 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 | x | |
| 23. Control feral animal species where these are having a negative impact on wildlife | Pigs, cats, foxes and goats are some of the feral species that may 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 | x | |
| 24. Use habitat modification to reduce the numbers of aggressive honeyeaters (a family of birds, including noisy miners and yellow-throated miners) where these are having a negative impact on wildlife | 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 density of stems and understorey shrubs, and reducing grazing pressure, should help to discourage miners, and provide a more suitable habitat for small birds | increase | x | x | x | x |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | 1, 2 & 4 | 3 & 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25. Retain and restore tree and shrub patches of different sizes, ages and stem densities | More wildlife species are likely to be supported if a range of vegetation growth types are available | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 26. Provide nest boxes if hollows are scarce | Tree hollows provide important shelter and foraging sites for wildlife Hollow-dependent species (e.g. bats, birds, insects, mammals) also bring benefits (such as pollination and insect control) to plantings | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 27. Retain and protect large grass tussocks | Large perennial grass tussocks provide important shelter and foraging sites for wildlife | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 28. Retain and protect mistletoe on eucalypts and other woody plant species | Mistletoe provides nectar, berries and nesting sites for many animal species | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 29. Retain and protect rocks and rock outcrops | Many animals use rocks or rocky areas for shelter, and some plant species may only be found around rocky areas | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 30. Retain and protect leaf litter (including fallen leaves, bark and twigs) | Many animals use leaf litter for shelter and foraging | increase | x | x | x | x | |
| 31. Minimise or avoid the use of insecticides in 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 | x |
Other considerations
Rainfall will have a large bearing on the success of management actions.
Extended dry periods may cause the death of mature trees.
Try to revegetate with tubestock or by direct seeding only when good rains are expected.
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 severity class | Fire intensity (kilowatts per metre—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 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. |