Atlas Fire Recovery Project
A Special Project
The forest fires of late 2019 and early 2020 have been devastating, across our region and beyond.
They are quite unprecedented in their scope – millions of hectares of forest have burned across NSW alone.
But nature will recover. And remarkably quickly.
For example, the photos below were taken 5-6 weeks after the Border Fire completely burnt out this forest south of Eden. On 5th January there was no green to be seen. Now plants of all types are reshooting and seeds are germinating. There are even flowers!
Native plants and animals have evolved with fire over hundreds of thousands of years. Ecosystems will gradually rebuild. Plants will regenerate, fungi will spread, insects will reappear and colonise. This will form the basis for growing populations of birds, mammals, reptiles and other animals. The mix of species present after the fire will differ, at least at first. Then it will change and change again in the coming months and years.
Together, we can help monitor and learn from these changes. Whether you are interested in directly helping wildlife, in reporting invading species, in monitoring the patterns of ecosystem recovery, or looking to connect more closely with nature during this recovery phase, there are opportunities for you to take part.
Helping Wildlife
Many animals were killed during the fires. Many others survived, often in patches of unburnt bush, farms, villages and towns. Some were injured during the fire, some since. Numerous uninjured survivors have struggled to find water or enough of the right kind of food.
In this context the natural response is to want to help. To heal the injured and feed the hungry. And, thinking forward, to provide artificial housing such as roosting and nesting boxes. For many people these activities have been an important part of their own survival and coping strategies.
Human involvement in nature’s recovery is a difficult balancing act. It is important to base interventions on the best available knowledge of species biology and ecological interactions. And there is always the risk of unintended or unforeseen consequences. Monitoring and assessing the effect of any intervention is vital.
Knowing when and how to step back
How do you decide when the emergency is over? It is probably sooner than you think! Read the March 2020 Newsletter from NPWS (South East Wildlife Recovery Information)
Helping the bush
There are many ways we can all do our bit to help the vegetation of our native forests, woodlands and heaths recover.
Avoid spreading diseases and fungi. Before walking into burned areas, think about where your shoes have been. They could be carrying seeds or soil-borne fungi … including Phytophthora! This fungus is deadly for many native plants and it is easily spread. Make a habit of spraying your shoes and other equipment with methylated spirits before entering or leaving fragile, regenerating bushland. And don’t forget your car. If you have driven along muddy tracks, wash your vehicle before heading off into another forested area.
Remove weeds before they take hold. Many exotic plants, including garden escapees, will happily colonise disturbed ground after fire. The ideal time to eradicate such weeds is before they flower and spread. But recognising a weed from a native plant is not always easy. Help is at hand. Report your sightings via iNaturalist and local botanists will assist with species identification.
Species watch
Recording biodiversity and species distributions is one of the core objectives of the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness (ALCW). We invite everyone to photograph and report their nature sightings anytime, anywhere across our region. From Moruya in the north to the Mallacoota in the south and west to the Great Dividing Range.
As part of the ALCW Atlas Fire Recovery Project, we are highlighting particular targets of interest.
Of course, all sightings of any organisms are welcome. Such opportunistic sightings regularly uncover previously unrecorded species and can detect changes in distribution.
Developing your own post-fire project
The opportunities for post fire study is not restricted to the projects above. Many of us will also be monitoring and recording regeneration in our local areas (click here for an example of one such case study). Other individuals, groups or organisations will have particular species of interest or investigations to undertake.
iNaturalist is the ideal recording platform for a wide range of post-fire projects.
We would love to hear about your project. If you would like to discuss your plans for a project, get some advice or examples of what is possible, or to simply share information about what you are doing, please feel free to contact us .
More resources and information
The NSW Government website is a source of reliable and valuable information on the effect of our recent fires and the processes involved in nature’s recovery. Many of the information sheets have been published recently, and others will appear soon. Below are links to a few key documents, and it is worth scrolling through the ‘related links’ at the bottom of each page for new publications or other items of interest.
The Google Earth Engine Burnt Area Map … “A rapid mapping approach to find out where wildfires in New South Wales have affected vegetation” … and in a couple of clicks you can view the map for your area! Note that the assessments are ongoing and not all fire grounds in our region have been evaluated yet.
Helping wildlife in emergencies … an introduction to how members of the public can best assist wildlife during emergencies such as the recent fires.
Impact of fires on plants and animals … “Providing advice for the recovery of biodiversity after fire” … explaining the Department’s strategy for monitoring, mapping and impacts assessment.
Wildlife and Conservation Bushfire Recovery … “Immediate Response January 2020. This document sets out our immediate actions to support native wildlife recovery.” … a more comprehensive document detailing the recovery projects being undertaken, including the projects assisting threatened species.
BVSC Wildlife Recovery Assistance information. Bega Valley Shire Council is also serving as a hub for coordinating local wildlife recovery assistance. This includes detailed advice on helping wildlife in emergencies.
Here’s how to record your sightings to iNaturalist using using the App. This is great for uploading photos taken on a phone. Alternatively, you can upload via a web browser.
This web page is provided in support of initiatives by National Parks and Wildlife, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and the Bega Valley Shire Council. The Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness is pleased to be a part of the iNaturalist network and this broader, collaborative recovery effort. Any errors or omissions are mine. Please contact us if you see a problem. Our administrator, 15/2/20