A burning issue : Using fire to accelerate tree hollow formation in Eucalyptus species

The importance of hollows to many species of arboreal mammals and birds in Australia has been clearly established, as has the significance of large, old trees in providing hollows. Since European settlement, considerable areas of eucalypt forests and woodlands have been cleared, resulting in significant loss of habitat, including hollow-bearing trees. Recruiting and retaining large, old trees is important to the ongoing survival of hollow-dependent fauna. However, in wood production areas maintaining sufficient numbers of hollows is problematic, since the age at which trees become economically mature is considerably less than that at which they become hollow-bearing. Management strategies aimed at retaining some hollow-bearing trees can assist, but many forests and woodlands are immature and contain too few of these trees. The ability to accelerate hollow formation where hollow-bearing trees are lacking is crucial, but cost-effective methods suitable for use on a large scale are seemingly few. The use of fire to accelerate hollow formation in Eucalyptus trees is one option