Vegetation changes since European settlement of Australia: an attempt to clear up some burning issues

Abstract

Summary Debate about changes in the Australian landscape since European settlement and the possible remedies for negative impacts has been complicated by differences in the consideration of time scales, areas of interest and vegetation classifications. Removal of these complications reveals much common ground and indicates that the real differences between the factions are in management philosophies. Active management such as regular burning or thinning may be more precautionary than passive management in situations where non-intervention is likely to perpetuate or reinforce the changes that have occurred.