Whitehaven Coal: Ecological Burn Management [2019 NSW Mining HSEC Awards]

Описание: Whitehaven Coal’s use of ecological burns in their approved Biodiversity Offsets for its Maules Creek Coal Mine in Boggabri is demonstrating leading practice for the dual purpose of ecological restoration and bushfire hazard mitigation.

Since 2013, Whitehaven has been trialling ecological burns, using experienced and capable professional hazard reduction fire contractors. This means the ecological burns are implemented competently and safely with the support of key regulators and the community.

Standard methods of ground preparation for revegetation, like ‘ripping’ and ‘mounding’, can disturb existing native vegetation, impacting the woodland/grassland condition and allowing weeds into the Biodiversity Offsets.

Ecological burns involve using fire to control exotic species and promote native flora species diversity, with fire being an important and often beneficial form of disturbance in woodlands. Ecological burns during late autumn and winter are cool, low-intensity fires that remove dry material but do not scorch native grasses and trees.

The results show that Whitehaven Coal is delivering actual biodiversity outcomes from ecological burn management.