At the first Advisory Group meeting Mike Stevens (Natural Values Manager) talked to us about his studies. Mike is so determined to find out more about the impact of the Mt Lubra fire, that he has gone back part time to University to do this research. We congratulate him. It is so important to document and learn from an event like this. This is the report he prepared for Parks Vic for National Science Week.
A unique scientific experiment in Grampians National Park is studying the survival of small animals during and after major wildfires. The project is the only one of its kind in Australia; A specific long term project, set up after a major fire, to investigate the impact on small native mammals. Most previous post fire research has been limited to prescribed burns, where the scale and severity of fire is limited and controlled. Parks Victoria is working with Deakin University, through its Research Partners Program, on the project, which is centred on areas in the park burnt by the 2006 fires.
The project is aiming to improve the understanding of how and where animals survive major fires, what their habitat requirements are afterwards, and whether recent prescribed burn areas provide refuge during large wildfires. Information is being gathered from 37 trapping sites across burnt and unburnt areas of the Grampians National Park. Ten thousand trap checking sessions, and over 200 fuel hazard and habitat measurements have been completed with the help of members of Conservation Volunteers Australia.
Initial results indicate that it is not all doom and gloom for our small native mammals with the Eastern Pygmy Possum and Agile Antechinus successfully captured from two sites severely burnt in the Grampians 2006 wildfire. Mr Stevens said he was excited to find these survivors as it shows how hardy some of our native species are. Interestingly, over three hundred House Mice were also discovered in the burnt sites, although they hadn’t been recorded by previous trapping surveys in the Grampians.
Project coordinator and Environment Team Leader with Parks Victoria at Halls Gap, Mike Stevens, says the research will contribute greatly to the conservation of threatened species and fire management in protected areas. “The Grampians are now islands in an ocean of farming land with small mammals playing a critical part in its healthy ecosystems. They provide soil water penetration, nutrient cycling, seed dispersal and a food resource for native forest predators. It is essential we understand the full impact on them by large scale fires, and when proactive conservation measures like reintroductions may be needed to prevent localised extinctions.
It is anticipated that this research project will develop in to a longer term study using the Grampians as a case study for the impact of severe, large scale wildfire. If you would like to participate in the fauna monitoring projects, go to www.conservationvolunteers.com.au and follow links to nature-wise – Grampians.