Essay
Towards adaptive fire management for biodiversity conservation: Experience in South African National Parks
Submitted: 03 December 2009 | Published: 11 May 2011
About the author(s)
Brian W. van Wilgen, CSIR, South AfricaNavashni Govender, Scientific Services, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa
Gregory G. Forsyth, Centre for Invasion Biology, CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Tineke Kraaij, Scientific Services, Garden Route, South Africa
Abstract
Conservation implications: Significant challenges face the managers of fire-prone and fire adapted ecosystems, where the attainment of ecosystem goals may require approaches (like encouraging high-intensity fires at hot and dry times of the year) that threaten societal goals related to safety. In addition, approaches to fire management have focused on encouraging particular fire patterns in the absence of a sound understanding of their ecological outcomes. Adaptive management offers a framework for addressing these issues, but will require higher levels of agreement, monitoring and assessment than have been the case to date.
Keywords
Metrics
Total abstract views: 8108Total article views: 15284
Crossref Citations
1. The ongoing development of a pragmatic and adaptive fire management policy in a large African savanna protected area
Brian W. van Wilgen, Navashni Govender, Izak P.J. Smit, Sandra MacFadyen
Journal of Environmental Management vol: 132 first page: 358 year: 2014
doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.11.003