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, e.g. some trees found in wet rainforest have the potential to grow much taller than dry rainforest trees)
- 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 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).
Temperature, rainfall and drainage will have a large influence on the potential for reforestation and carbon accumulation on your site. However, other factors, such as weeds, grazing and fire 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 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 wet and dry rainforest.
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 3 and 7 have been grouped for wet rainforest because their management actions are the same.
Read more about wet condition or dry condition states.
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. No clearing of live rainforest trees | Clearing rainforest 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 Animals which have little or no capacity for dispersal are severely impacted by land clearing | increase | increase | All |
| 2. Retain dead standing trees 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 shelter and foraging sites for wildlife | increase | increase | All |
| 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 | All |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Prevent and suppress moderate to high-severity fire in the rainforest area to be restored |
Moderate to high-severity fires result in net carbon loss by consuming the carbon stored in trees, dead wood and litter
Trees, dead wood and litter that would be damaged or destroyed by fire all provide shelter and foraging sites for wildlife | increase | increase | All |
| 5. If grass fuel loads are likely to build up in the rainforest area to be restored, 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 coarse woody debris, and decrease the capacity of the vegetation to store carbon by limiting the recruitment of rainforest 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 #4) 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 |
3 & 7 (Wet) 5 (Wet) 6 (Wet) 3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 6. Conduct low severity burns, when soil moisture is high, in the surrounding vegetation, if this surrounding vegetation is fire-adapted. Aim to create a mosaic of burnt and unburnt areas around the rainforest area to be restored | Reduces the risk of fire in the area to be restored (see #4) | increase | increase | All |
| 7. 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 #4) | increase | increase | All |
| 8. 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 | 3 & 7 (Wet) |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9. Exclude livestock to allow the establishment and growth of rainforest plants |
Grazing by livestock can reduce carbon gain and storage by disturbing tree growth and establishment, and trampling woody debris and litter
Grazing by livestock, can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the recruitment and growth of rainforest plants, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber | increase | increase |
1 (Wet)2 (Wet) 3 & 7 (Wet)4 (Wet)5 (Wet)6 (Wet)2 (Dry)3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 10. Reduce the grazing pressure of livestock if current levels of grazing and trampling are damaging rainforest plants and preventing their establishment | Some grazing of mature dry rainforest by livestock may be compatible with carbon farming | increase | 1 (Dry) | |
| 11. Control macropods and feral herbivores (e.g. goats) if they are in sufficient densities to prevent the recruitment of rainforest plants |
Uncontrolled grazing may reduce carbon gain and storage by disturbing tree 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 rainforest plants, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber | increase | increase | All |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. If large areas of bare ground are present, cover with mulch (if feasible) to restore soil health | Plant establishment may be impeded on areas of bare, degraded soil | increase | increase | 2 (Wet) |
| 13. Use slashing or low severity fire to reduce the cover of herbaceous plants before direct seeding or tubestock/sucker planting | Improves the establishment and growth of woody plants by reducing competition | increase | increase |
2 (Wet) 5 (Wet) 6 (Wet) 2 (Dry) 3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 14. If native tree seedlings are absent or very rare, revegetate using ‘maximum diversity’ method and direct seeding | Establishment and growth of rainforest plants increases the rate and amount of carbon stored, and provides food and habitat for wildlife | increase | increase |
2 (Wet) 3&7 (Wet) 4 (Wet) 5 (Wet) 6 (Wet) 2 (Dry) 3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 15. If native tree seedlings and saplings are apparent, use natural regeneration, and consider supplementary planting of large-fruited tree species, or other plants species unlikely to be dispersed into the area by birds and bats (e.g. wind-dispersed species) | Establishment and growth of rainforest plants increases the rate and amount of carbon stored, and provides food and habitat for wildlife | increase | increase | 2 (Wet) |
| 16. Establish a diversity of rainforest plant species | A diversity of rainforest plant species of different sizes and ages provides food and habitat for wildlife | increase | All | |
| 17. Consider providing perches for seed dispersing animals, or planting hardy and fast-growing tree species that will attract birds and bats | Birds and bats can disperse the seeds of native rainforest plants into the site | increase | increase | 5 (Wet) |
| 18. Control native vines at revegetation sites until trees are well established. Cut vine stems close to the ground using loppers or a machete, and avoid the use of herbicide, so that growth is slowed, but the vine is not killed. Repeat at intervals until the other rainforest plants are large and sturdy enough to support vines | Native vines can suppress the growth of rainforest trees | increase | increase |
2 (Wet) 3&7 (Wet) 4 (Wet) 5 (Wet) 6 (Wet) 2 (Dry) 3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19. Control understorey weeds if present, especially shade-tolerant ones | Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing tree growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire | increase | increase |
2 (Wet) 3 & 7 (Wet) 4 (Wet) 5 (Wet)| 6 (Wet) 2 (Dry) 3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 20. Prevent the introduction and spread of lantana, exotic vines and grasses, and other serious weeds | Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing tree growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire | increase | increase | All |
| 21. Remove exotic trees (e.g. camphor laurel) by using staged canopy conversion | Exotic trees can reduce the establishment and growth of native rainforest trees | increase | increase | 4 (Wet) |
| 22. Remove non-rainforest native trees (by using staged canopy conversion) if these are blocking rainforest regeneration | Non-rainforest native trees can reduce the establishment and growth of native rainforest trees | increase | increase | 5 (Wet) |
| 23. Control exotic pasture grasses 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 they resprout. Hand-pulling or digging is also an effective (but highly labour intensive) method of control. Aim to get canopy shading by trees and shrubs for long-term pasture grass control |
Weeds may reduce carbon gain and storage by reducing rainforest plant growth and establishment, and increasing the risk of fire
Exotic pasture species appear to have a negative impact on plant species richness and diversity, and the recruitment and growth of many native plant species | increase | increase |
3 (Dry) 4 (Dry) |
| 24. Establish and maintain vines and shrubs on the edges of rainforest to block weed invasion, reduce the risk of fire and reduce edge effects | Weeds, fire and edge effects can reduce the establishment and growth of native rainforest plants | increase | increase | All |
| 25. Control feral animal species in rainforest where these are having a negative impact on wildlife and plant regeneration |
The feral pig is probably the most serious animal pest in rainforest, although cats and foxes 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 | All | |
| 26. Control weed species that 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 | 2 (Wet) |
| Action | Benefits and impacts | Carbon | Wildlife | Condition states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27. Provide nest boxes if hollows are scarce | Tree hollows provide important shelter and foraging sites for wildlife | increase | All | |
| 28. Retain and protect rocks and rock outcrops | Rocky areas provide habitat for many animal species | increase | All | |
| 29. Retain and protect leaf litter (including fallen leaves, bark and twigs) | Leaf litter provides habitat for many animal species | increase | All | |
| 30. Minimise or avoid the use of insecticides in rainforest areas to be restored, and prevent spray drift from adjacent areas | Invertebrates deserve protection in their own right, but also provide food for other animals, and ecosystem services such as pollination and seed dispersal | increase | All |
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 severity class | Fire intensity – during fire (kilowatts per metre—kWm-1) | Average flame height (m) | Fire severity – post fire Average scorch height (m) | Description (loss of biomass) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (L) | < 150 | < 0.5 | < 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) | 150–500 | 0.5–1.5 | 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) | 500–1000 | 1.5–3.0 | 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) | 1000–3000 | 3.0–10.0 | Extensive scorching | All understorey burnt to ash (or nearly so). Most habitat trees and fallen logs affected. Extensive crown scorch. |
| Extreme (E) | > 3000 | > 10.0 | 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. |