Growth Stage and Habitat Analysis (Schedule 12) La Trobe University University of Melbourne Deakin University Arthur Rylah Institute To develop models for growth stage, habitat development and use at a landscape scale for use in assessing fire management outcomes. Foothills fire and biota project: Managing Scale and Uncertainty in Fire Management Planning (Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre Schedule 11) La Trobe University University of Melbourne Deakin University Arthur Rylah Institute To develop remote sensing techniques to assess fire severity and patchiness on fuel hazard/habitat structure in foothill forests. This project gathers the known monitoring data for the past 40 years in the foothills forests and develops understanding of the relationships with fire and landscape factors to predict growth stage and ecological diversity, leading to development of resilience metrics and models to support decision making. Relationships between flora, fauna, habitat attributes and vegetation growth stages in Victorian Tall Wet Forests University of Melbourne To refine the ecosystem resilience inputs into adaptive fire management and planning for Victorian Tall Wet Forests. It will gather new, and collate existing (flora, fauna and structural) data, and test, model and further develop the relationships between fauna, habitat attributes and vegetation growth stages and resilience for this ecosystem. Resilience metric sensitivity analysis and growth stage optimisation in fragmented landscapes University of Melbourne As a component of the scientific review of the Bushfire Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation approach this project will use an existing extensive vegetation dataset to explore how sampling design and the choice of focal species influences the outcome of the growth stage optimisation process, and develop methods to better utilise resilience metrics in fragmented landscapes. Bushfire Climatology (Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre Schedule 1) Monash University through the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre To develop regional climatology's (risk and planned burning) for use in risk based fire management planning. Drought Index- Victorian Spatial and Temporal Drought Index and Drought Factor (Extension of Phoenix RapidFire Project) University of Melbourne To develop a spatial and dynamic Drought Index and Drought Factor to improve bushfire predictions and to determine the potential impact of planned burning.
Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Program – Integration Core Project (Part A) University of Melbourne The Integration Project is currently in two parts. Part A: Integration Framework will look at integration of socio-economic and biophysical models into a management decision-making framework. Assessing bushfire risk to social and economic values of forests in fire landscapes: Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Program – Integration Core Project (Part B) University of Melbourne To determine the main factors in bushfire spread and characterisation that lead to uncertainties in the predicted bushfire attributes. Effects of fire, climate and management on the vulnerability and resilience of Victorian forests: Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Program – Vulnerability Core Project University of Melbourne To identify tipping points that may result in irreversible change to forest structure and composition and the associated values they provide. Interactions between fire, landscape pattern and biodiversity (including the Foothills fire and biota project): Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Program – Biodiversity Core Project University of Melbourne To determine the responses of species to fire regimes and quantify response thresholds. The effect of changing fire and climate regimes on Victoria's forest hydrology: Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research University of Melbourne To assess how to minimise the impact of fire on water quality and quantity of our catchments; and the relationships between various resilience ‘states’ and water quality and quantity.
Program – Water Core Project Understanding and managing Victoria's forest carbon: Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research Program – Carbon Core Project University of Melbourne To assess how to maintain the carbon of Victoria’s public forests; how to best monitor, report and predict forest carbon assets through time at the landscape scale; and assess the inherent and operational drivers that change forest carbon assets, including fire regime and climate. g) Details of overseas visits undertaken including a summary of the objectives and outcomes of each visit Title of officer Countries visited Objectives Outcomes Regional Manager, Environment, Natural Resources & Fisheries Canada To visit the Canadian Province of British Columbia in response to a formal request by the British Columbian authorities under the Forest & Interface Fire Management Memorandum of Understanding - Operating Plan The traveller acted as one of two Liaison Officers on behalf of the Forest Fire Management Group and DELWP to British Columbia, Canada. The role of the Liaison Unit was to prepare and facilitate the deployment of 80 firefighters to assist the province of British Columbia respond to an extreme summer of wildfire emergencies. The Liaison Officer arrived in British Columbia prior to the confirmation of a formal request and the deployment of the firefighters. Advice was provided to senior representatives in Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations on the resources available, likely deployment timelines, financial costs, media management and safety management. The outcome of the visit was achieved by ensuring the smooth and safe deployment of Australian firefighters to British Columbia. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Canada To visit the Canadian Province of British Columbia in response to a developing bushfire situation subsequent to a formal request by the British Columbian authorities under the Forest & Interface Fire Management Memorandum of The traveller, as the second Liaison Officer, led a contingent of 80 Australian firefighters assisting in the suppression of major bushfires in British Columbia, Canada for five weeks. The firefighters included senior incident management teams and aviation personnel. DELWP has a long standing "mutual aid agreement" with British Columbia and with the United States of America. The agreements are activated to provide additional personnel during