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Catalyst: Managing bushfires

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Newspaper text overlays image of bushfire flames
Catalyst: Managing bushfires

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  5–6, 7–8


To burn or not to burn?

Investigate the science behind arguments for and against controlled burn-offs that aim to reduce the risk of bushfires to humans.

Listen to the reasons Professor Mark Adams of Sydney University gives for a careful approach to prescribed burning.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Have you heard about controlled burning of Australia's forests? That's when part of a forest is burned outside of the bushfire season. Why might this approach be used?
  2. 2.Listen for the reason Professor Mark Adams gives for not using prescribed fires for Mountain Ash forests. Which type of forest is better suited to regular burning?
  3. 3.What are the advantages and disadvantages of managing our forests by controlled burning? What kind of factors (human, environmental, ethical) need to be considered when determining how frequently a forest should be burnt?
  4. 4.Find out more about how different types of Eucalypts regenerate. For example, what role do epicormic buds, lignotuber buds or seeds from gum nuts play?



Date of broadcast: 29 Oct 2009


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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