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’
27
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
33
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
38
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. 46
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
49
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