<i>Recovery</i>of Eucalyptus delegatensis<i>from high altitude dieback after felling and burning the understorey</i>

Abstract

Summary The following four treatments were applied to each of four stands of alpine ash E. delegatensis (R. T. Baker) in Tasmania that were suffering differing degrees of high altitude dieback: (a)felling the understorey only, (b)felling the understorey and burning once, (c)felling the understorey and burning periodically, and (d) untreated control. Simply felling the understorey did not lead to improved growth and at first appeared to diminish growth on one plot. Felling and burning the understorey resulted in an improvement in the rate of growth of badly affected trees by 75 percent over a period of 12 years: less affected trees showed smaller relative responses. Periodic controlled burning of the understorey could prove to be a practicable means of maintaining, in good health, stands of alpine ash growing at high altitude.