Heath and Fire Interfacing by Hong Zhang

HEATH AND FIRE INTERFACING ANGLESEA, VICTORIA

THESIS BY HONG ZHANG hongz5@hotmail.com

MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, 2018

HEATH AND FIRE INTERFACING ANGLESEA, VICTORIA

THESIS BY HONG ZHANG hongz5@hotmail.com

MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, 2018

RESEARCH STATEMENT ANGLESEA, LOCATING AT THE STARTING POINT OF GREAT OCEAN ROAD, HAS HISTORICALLY TAKEN THE IMPACT FROM BUSHFIRE EVENTS WHILE BEEN NOTABLE FOR ITS HEATHLAND, WHICH CONVERSELY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD. THE TENSION BETWEEN THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF HEATHLAND AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS IN TERMS OF FIRE SAFETY IS ESPECIALLY AMPLIFIED AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND THE WOODLAND. ALTHOUGH PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON LARGE-SCALE PRESCRIBED BURNING FOR BOTH ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS, YET OVERLOOKING SUCH SITE-SPECIFIC INTERFACE ISSUES. THE THESIS AIMS AT INVESTIGATING THROUGH EVALUATING THE SPECIFIED SITE CHARACTERISTICS, EMPOWERED WITH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, WHICH TRIGGERS A WELL-CONSIDERED DESIGN PROPOSAL FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF OVERALL BENEFITS.

CONTENTS 1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION EVENTS ON THE HISTORY INTERFACE ISSUE BETWEEN FIRE AND HEATH MAPPING OF BIODIVERSITY AND FIRE RISK 2- FIRE IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM ISSUES WITHIN THE SYSTEM FIRE PARAMETER

6 PRECEDENTS OF FIRE EVENTS

14 SCENARIO SIMULATION

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES HIERARCHY OF VEGETATION VALUE AND FIRE HAZARDS SCENARIO ASSESSMENT

18

4- DESIGN STRATEGIES MASTER PLAN AERIAL PERSPECTIVE

28

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER PLAN VIEW TYPOLOGIES

33

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR PLAN VIEW FIRE SIMULATOR AND MODIFIER HEATH GARDENING AND CLAIMING

41

7- REFERENCE & APPENDIX

46 5

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION EVENTS ON THE HISTORY

6

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

7

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ASH WEDNESDAY IMPACTING AREA

BUSHFIRE PRONE AREA

8

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION FUEL HAZARD AND TOLERABLE FIRE INTERVAL STATISTICS

9

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION INTERFACE ISSUE BETWEEN FIRE AND HEATH

10

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION PRECEDENTS OF FIRE EVENTS PRESCRIBED BURNING - BLACK SATURDAY ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT

Fuel age and weather interact, and both are important in influencing fire severity. A well-conducted prescribed burn, if large enough, might stop a fire in the first one to two years after it is conducted. Reduction in the rate of spread of fire will persist as a consequence of prescribed burning for five to eight years.

INSIGHTS FROM THE HENDERSON CREEK BURN EXPERIMENT

Interactions between threats to native fauna can greatly increase the risk of species extinction. At present, management of fire and invasive predators is rarely coordinated. If fox and feral cat predation limits native mammal recovery after fire, integrated management of these processes could greatly benefit biodiversity.

11

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION MAPPING OF BIODIVERSITY AND FIRE RISK

12

1- THE ANGLESEA CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION MAPPING OF BIODIVERSITY AND FIRE RISK

SITE SELECTION

13

2- FIRE IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM ISSUES WITHIN THE SYSTEM COMPETITIVE ELIMINATION The longer overstorey dominants monopolies light and soil resources during periods uninterrupted by fire, the greater the probability that understorey species will be eliminated from the site, leading to a decline in diversity of the community (Specht and Morgan 1981;Burrell 1981;Keith and Bradstock 1994).

CINNAMON FUNGUS THREAT Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is an introduced pathogen that invades plant roots, of susceptible species preventing water transport in the root systems, which results in death or severe drought effects(McMahon,2002).

WILDLIFE SURVIVAL The occurrence and timing and fire ,as a germination cue, may be crucial in the recovery of susceptible species with long-live seed banks (Bradstock,2002).

14

2- FIRE IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM SCENARIO SIMULATION

15

2- FIRE IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM POTENTIAL FUEL SOURCES

FIRE PARAMETER

16

2- FIRE IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM

17

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES

18

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES

Type a: Medium Heath + Low Heath

Type b1: Medium Wood + Low Heath

Type b2: Medium Wood + Low Heath + Low Turf

Type c: Medium Wood + Medium Heath + Low Turf

19

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES

20

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES

Type f: Low Turf

Type d: High Wood + Low Turf

Type e: Low Heath + Low Turf

Type g: Medium Heath + Low Turf

Type h: High Wood + Low Heath

21

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS HIERARCHY OF VEGETATION VALUE

100%

Combined Heath Value

75% A: Scattered Heathy Woodland

60% D: Screening Plant

45% B: Dense Heathy Woodland 30% C: Open Heathland

E: Turf Grass

15% 0%

22

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS HIERARCHY OF FIRE HAZARDS

Assessing Criteria refers to appendix a

Combined Fire Risk 100% 50%

40% Suitable for Low risk area 30%

20% Suitable for Medium risk area 10% 60%

70%

80%

100%

Single Heath Form Value 23

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES Scattered Heathy Woodland

Dense Heathy Woodland

A

C B E D

c - c’ 24

28% Combined Fire Hazards

b - b’ 23% Combined Fire Hazards

26% Combined Heath Benefits

31% Combined Heath Benefits

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS MAPPING OF EXISTING VEGETATION TYPOLOGIES Scattered Heathy Woodland

Assessment Criteria refers to appendix A

A: Scattered Heathy Woodland 13 % B: Dense Heathy Woodland 57 % C: Open Heathland 17 % D: Screening Plant 9%

a - a’ 25% Combined Fire Hazards 30% Combined Heath Benefits

E: Turf Grass 4% 25

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS SCENARIO ASSESSMENT

Dense Heathy Woodland:20% Fire Risk Affected

Dense Heathy Woodland:10% Fire Risk Affected

FFDI 40 FFDI 50 FFDI 80 FFDI 100

Section a - a’

26

BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5

BAL - 12.5 BAL - 19 BAL - 19 BAL - 29

BAL - 29 BAL - 29 BAL - 29 BAL - 29

BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ

FFDI 40 FFDI 50 FFDI 80 FFDI 100

Section b - b’

BAL - 12 BAL - 12 BAL - 12 BAL - 12

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

3- UNPACK THE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Assessment Criteria refers to appendix B: AS 3959

SCENARIO ASSESSMENT

Dense Heathy Woodland:45%

Fire Risk Affected

BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 19 BAL - 19

BAL - 29 BAL - 29 BAL - 29 BAL - 29

BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ

FFDI 40 FFDI 50 FFDI 80 FFDI 100

BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5

BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5 BAL - 12.5

BAL - 19 BAL - 19 BAL - 29 BAL - 40

BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ BAL - FZ

Section c - c’

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4- DESIGN STRATEGIES

The Transformation

28

Materiality Mixture

4- DESIGN STRATEGIES

Woody vegetation

Heathy Vegetation

Edge Establishment

Heath Program Fire Program Path System & Built Forms

Public Amenity Integration Fire Risk Control

Reinforced Edges

Community Awareness Topography & buildings

29

4- DESIGN STRATEGIES MASTER PLAN LEGEND 1.Pergola

2.Lookout

3.Path

4.Timber Walkway

5.Waterbody

6.Gully

7.Stone Wall

8.Decking

9.Gravel Edge

10.Fire Simulator

11.Sitting Area

12.Heath Gardening

1

2 4

10 11 3 7

Design Anticipation 20% Combined Fire Hazards 40% Combined Heath Benefits 30

8 1

9

4- DESIGN STRATEGIES

N

0

10

30

50m

2

12

1 12

12

15% Combined Fire Hazards

15% Combined Fire Hazards

60% Combined Heath Benefits

50% Combined Heath Benefits 31

4- DESIGN STRATEGIES AERIEL PERSPECTIVE

32

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER PLAN VIEW

x’ 6

y’ 2

4

5

LEGEND

1

7

1.Path

2.Timber Walkway

3.Waterbody

4.Gully

5.Stone Wall

6.Decking

7.Sitting Area N x

3

y

0

4

12

20m

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5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER BREAKING OF FUEL CONTINUITY

Section x -x’

Heath zone i

Heath zone ii

Typology i

Typology ii

Heath zone iii

Typology ii,iii,iv

Heath zone iv

Typology v

Section y -y’ Heath zone i

Typology i

34

Heath zone ii

Typology iii

Heath zone iii

Typology ii,iii,iv

Heath zone iv

Typology iii

Heath zone v

Typology v

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER TYPOLOGIES

Medium Wood + Low Heath Water + Gravel

Sandy Gully

Stone Edge

Low Heath

Typology i

Medium Wood + Medium Heath

High Wood + Medium Heath

Low Heath

Typology ii

Low Heath

Typology iii

35

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER TYPOLOGIES

Low Heath + Medium Heath

High Wood + Turf

Pebble Cell Gravel Path

Timber Walk

Low Heath

Typology iv

36

Low Heath

Typology v

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER TYPOLOGIES

Heath and Fire Gradient Heath Complexity Potential Fire Risk

Medium Low

High High

Section x -x’

37

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER PLANT MATRIX

Hovea heterophylla 20cm

spyridium parvifolium 1.5m

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leiocarpa gatesii 20cm

Acacia suaveolens 2m

Grevillea infecunda 60cm

Pultenaea mollis 2.5m

Dipodium roseum 90cm

Eucalyptus littoralis 15m

Ixodia archillaeoides 1m

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER ANIMALS

Birds

Preys

Predators

Mammals

Preys

Predators

39

5- CONTRASTING EDGES AS FIRE DELAYER THE ESTABLISHED EDGE

40

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR PLAN VIEW

5

4

3 9

10 6

7 1

2

8

LEGEND 1.Pergola

2.Path

3.Timber Walkway

4.Waterbody

5.Gully

6.Stone Wall

7.Decking

8.Gravel Edge

9.Fire Simulator

10.Heath Gardening N 0

7

21

35m

41

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR FIRE MODIFIER INTEGRATED AMENITY

Mist Dispersal Rainwater Collection

Thermal & Humidity Sensor

Stone Edge

Emergent Fire

Water Storage Animals’ Refuge 42

Gully Edge

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR FIRE SIMULATOR

Fire Initiator Fire Spread

Humidity Modifier Fire Control

Post-fire Seed Collection

43

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR HEATH GARDENING AND CLAIMING

44

6- FIRE AND HEATH AS AWARENESS STIMULATOR FENCE-LESS VIEWING

45

7- REFERENCE & APPENDIX THEORY - JOURNALS Wensink, N. (2015). Fuel moisture content enhances nonaddictive effects of plant mixtures on flammability and fire behavior.

Ager, A. (2015). Coupling the Biophysical and Social Dimensions of Wildfire Risk to Improve Wildfire Mitigation Planning.

Swan, M. (2018). Fire planning for multi-species conservation: Integrating growth stage and fire severity.

Rossa, C. (2017). On the effect of live fuel moisture content on fire rate of spread.

Gibbons, L. (2018). Regenerative Development as an Integrative Paradigm and Methodology for Landscape Sustainability.

Parkins, K. (2018). Edge effects in fire-prone landscapes: Ecological importance and implications for fauna.

Olsen, C. S., J. D. Kline, A. A. Ager, K. A. Olsen, and K. C. Short. 2017. Examining the influence of biophysical conditions on wildland–urban interface homeowners’ wildfire risk mitigation activities in fire-prone landscapes. Ecology and Society 22(1):21.

Understanding Social Complexity Within the Wildland-Urban Interface: A New Species of Human Habitation? (2009). Environmental Management, (6).

THEORY - BOOKS Bradstock, R. A., Gill, A. M., & Williams, R. J. (2012). Flammable Australia : fire regimes, biodiversity and ecosystems in a changing world. Collingwood, Vic. : CSIRO Publishing, 2012.

Laurel, B. (2003). Design research : methods and perspectives. Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, c2003.

Williams, J., Bradstock, R. A., & Gill, M. (2001). Flammable Australia : the fire regimes and biodiversity of a continent. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Anglesea, a natural history study. (1982). Anglesea [Vic.] : ANGAIR, 1982.

McHarg, I. L. (1992). Design with nature. New York : J. Wiley, c1992 France, R. L. (2008). Handbook of regenerative landscape design. Boca Raton, Fla. : CRC Press, c2008.

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7- REFERENCE & APPENDIX REPORTS COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water 2012, Australia’s Native Vegetation Framework, Australian Government, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Canberra.

Norman B, Weir JK, Sullivan K and Lavis J, (2014) Planning and bushfire risk in a changing climate, Bushfire CRC, Australia, DELWP Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. (2008). Fire, landscape pattern and biodiversity in the Otway Ranges.

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Final Report. Retrieved from http://royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report.html, September 2018.

CFA Surf Coast Shire. (2017). Anglesea, Community Information Guide - Bushfire.

Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Melbourne. (2015). Strategic bushfire management plan Barwon Otway.

Barwon Water. (2013). Anglesea Borefield Bulk Entitlement Review Bulk Entitlement Review Report.

Department of Sustainability and Environment. (2004). Great Ocean Road Region: Towards a vision for the future.

DELWP Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. (2007). SURF COAST SHIRE -Biodiversity Mapping Project, 2014.

McMahon, K., & Brighton, M. (2002). Anglesea Heath Management Plan [Ebook] (1st ed.). Melbourne: Parks Victoria and Alcoa World Alumina Australia.

Cheal, D. (2010) Growth stages and tolerable fire intervals for Victoria’s native vegetation data sets. Fire and Adaptive Management Report No. 84. Department of Sustainability and Environment, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Economic Development Unit, Surf Coast Shire Council. (2018). Economic Insights 2018.

Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2017. EVC/Bioregion Benchmark for Vegetation Quality Assessment.

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7- REFERENCE & APPENDIX MAPPING DELWP Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. NatureKit. Retrieved from http://maps.biodiversity.vic.gov.au/viewer/?viewer=NatureKit, September, 2018.

Surf Coat Shire Council, Site Aerial Image with 1m Contours. Retrieved from GIS Department, Surf Coat Shire.

APPENDIX A: THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS Points are given based on its positive, neutral or negative impact on the heath vegetation.

Individual Components: 70

Fire risk 40

Low Heath:<1m, weak competition ability

90

20

Turf: High competition ability

10

10

High Wood: High competition ability

30

80

Medium Wood: High competition ability

50

60

Medium 1m<Heath <2m moderate competition ability

Combined fire risk Scattered Heathy Woodland: (b1 + a)/2 =35 Dense Heathy Woodland: (b2+c+d)/3=50 Open Heathland: (f + e)/2=15 Screening Plant: (g + h)/2=30 Turf Grass: f=10 48

Type a:80/30 Type b1:70/40 Type b2:50/45 Type b:45/55 Type d:20/45 Type e:50/15 Type f:10/10 Type g:40/25 Type h:60 /50

Combined heath value Scattered Heathy Woodland: (b1 + a)/2 =75 Dense Heathy Woodland: (b2+c+d)/3=40 Open Heathland: (f + e)/2=30 Screening Plant: (g + h)/2=50 Turf Grass: f=10

7- REFERENCE & APPENDIX APPENDIX B : AS3959 CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS IN BUSHFIRE PRONE AREAS

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My sincere gratitude to Mark Frisby who supervised my work, giving me inspirations and encouragement for pursuing design through fundamental research and analysis.

Also the greatest love to my parents who mentally and financially supported me through the completion of master degree of Landscape Architecture at the University of Melbourne.

Finally, I want to give thanks to all of my teachers and colleagues who I collaborated with.

Hong Zhang Master of Landscape Architecture University of Melbourne Tel: +61 0434 267 557 E-mail: hongz5@hotmail.com