FIRE-STICK FORESTRY - A MATRIX MODEL IN SUPPORT OF SKILLFUL FIRE MANAGEMENT OF CALLITRIS-INTRATROPICA BAKER,R.T. BY NORTH AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES

The responses of a monospecific stand of Callitris intratropica R.T. B aker and H.G. Smith to a range of fire intensities and inter-fire peri ods were simulated using a stage based matrix model. The model used pu blished values for life history parameters and incorporated linear den sity dependence in fecundity and growth. Mild fires (i.e. those that k illed no mature trees) with mean period between 2 to 8 years maintaine d a healthy stand structure. More frequent or more intense fires resul ted in damage or extinction of the stand, whereas decreasing frequency or intensity yielded stands which were heavily stocked with saplings, few of which were recruited into the larger size classes. These resul ts were largely insensitive to modification of life history parameters . We conclude that stands of C. intratropica on sites without topograp hic fire-protection must have been maintained by Aboriginal fire manag ement. Observed damage and decline of C. intratropica stands is consis tent with a reversion to uncontrolled fire regimes in the recent past.