Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
When using fire for the control of bush encroachment, it is recommended that it be used in combination with high browsing pressures. Pure browsers such as kudu do not compete with grazers and can thus be used to increase the browsing intensity. The fire regime to be used in controlled burning refers to the type and intensity of fire, and the season and frequency of burning. These factors are discussed separately below. TYPE OF FIRE Three types of fires are distinguished on the basis of the layers in which they: A ground fire is a fire that burns below the surface of the ground in deep layers of organic material and plant debris. A surface fire is a fire that burns in the herbaceous surface vegetation. A crown fire is a fire that burns in the canopies of trees and shrubs. Further subdivision can be made into fires burning with and against the wind – head or back- fires. Crown fires occur only as head fires, but surface fires can be either head or back fires. Head fires should be used in controlled burning because they cause least damage to the grass sward but maximum damage to woody vegetation. FIRE INTENSITY Fire intensity is a term that refers to the rate at which energy is released per unit length of fire front and is expressed in kilojoules per second per metre (kJ.s -1 .m -1 ). The intensity of a fire is influenced by the fuel load, fuel moisture, air humidity, air temperature and wind speed. A fire will not spread readily when the grass fuel load is less than 2000 kg/ha. Burning of a veld can therefore only be considered if the grass fuel load is higher than 2000 kg/ha. The type of fire that is required to remove moribund or unacceptable material is a cool or low intensity head fire of smaller than 1000 kJ.s -1 .m -1 . This type of fire can be achieved when the air temperature is below 20 ºC, the relative humidity above 50 percent and the soil moist. These conditions prevail most often before 11h00 in the morning and after 15h30 in the afternoon. When burning to control undesirable plants a high intensity fire of larger than 2000 kJ.s -1 .m -1 is necessary. Such a fire can be achieved by burning when the grass fuel load is more than 4000 kg/ha, the air temperature between 25 ºC and 30 ºC, and the relative humidity smaller than 30 percent. A fire such as this will cause a significant top-kill of stems and branches of bush species up to a 3 m height. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 105
TIME OF BURNING Least damage is caused to the grass sward if it is burned when the grass is dormant. The time of veld burning should be decided on, in such a way that the veld is able to reform a leaf cover as quickly as possible. Veld that is burnt before the first spring rains, remains bare and is therefore, more susceptible to soil erosion by both wind and water. Veld burning should be implemented during the 6 week period preceding the expected commencement of the growing season (September), provided that the grass do not begin to grow due to sufficient soil moisture, and for a period of 2 weeks after the start of the growth season. If the veld has not been burnt before the first spring rains, due to signs of growth, it should be done within 24 hours after the first spring rains of 15 mm or more. FREQUENCY OF BURNING The frequency of burning will depend on the rate of accumulation of grass litter. Fuel loads should not exceed 4000 kg/ha, as this will create a danger of uncontrolled fires. Sourveld areas can generally be burned every 2 to 4 years. The frequency of burning to control undesirable plants in the veld depends on the plant species under consideration. Some species require only a single hot burn, whereas others require numerous fires for their control. MANAGEMENT OF VELD AFTER FIRE Sourveld should not be grazed after a fire until the grass sward has re-grown to a height of at least 150 mm. FIREBREAKS The lack of effective firebreaks is one of the most important reasons for fires getting out of control. Burning should never be attempted without adequate firebreaks. A change in wind direction can be disastrous and the application of a back fire to contain a run-away fire almost impossible to attain. There are basically two types of firebreaks, namely: clean cultivated firebreaks and burnt firebreaks. Clean cultivated firebreaks are the most effective and comprise the removal of all ground vegetation. This can be accomplished either manually or mechanically. Burnt firebreaks are where a strip of vegetation is burnt around the larger area intended to be burnt. The most common method is to burn a strip of grass with the aid of fire- fighting equipment. A safer method is to cut two strips with a mower early in the winter. This leaves an uncut strip in the centre, which is then burnt as soon as the grass is dry enough. This method is, however, limited to areas with gentle topography. A similar method is to spray two strips of grassveld with a foliar herbicide during autumn and to burn the strips when the grass becomes dry. The unsprayed portion between the sprayed strips is then burned during winter when the grass is dry and dormant. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 106
- Page 61 and 62: INTRODUCTION ESTIMATION OF HERBACEO
- Page 63 and 64: The resulting Large Stock Units are
- Page 65 and 66: INTRODUCTION GAME MANAGEMENT ON MAR
- Page 67 and 68: STOCKING RATES Current stocking The
- Page 69 and 70: Table 10: The current stocking dens
- Page 71 and 72: Recommendations on stocking rates C
- Page 73 and 74: High selectivity grazers Blue wilde
- Page 75 and 76: Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus Ogil
- Page 77 and 78: Space requirements: Kudu have range
- Page 79 and 80: Recommendation: The range requireme
- Page 81 and 82: Food preference: Steenbok utilise A
- Page 83 and 84: Table 12: The potential stocking de
- Page 85 and 86: Table 14: The potential stocking de
- Page 87 and 88: Table 15: The recommended stocking
- Page 89 and 90: The proteins may be less available
- Page 91 and 92: When urea is incorporated into a ph
- Page 93 and 94: Recommended intake for game is 150
- Page 95 and 96: Ticks The main parasite of concern
- Page 97 and 98: Figure 12: Sketch of Cyphostemma /C
- Page 99 and 100: NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE WEEDS An invas
- Page 101 and 102: Management plans need to be reviewe
- Page 103 and 104: Ricinus communis, Solanum sisymbrii
- Page 105 and 106: Although soil treatment with chemic
- Page 107 and 108: Planning errors must be expected, a
- Page 109 and 110: To further reduce grazing pressure
- Page 111: Lightning induced fires can also ca
- Page 115 and 116: A low intensity fire will be achiev
- Page 117 and 118: Recommendations for Marloth Park Ma
- Page 119 and 120: Surface erosion will reduce water i
- Page 121 and 122: Several different types of waterhol
- Page 123 and 124: Stones Ground level Reinforced conc
- Page 125 and 126: For safety reasons these requiremen
- Page 127 and 128: Adaptive management Applying adapti
- Page 129 and 130: Figure 15: Location of the monitori
- Page 131 and 132: Appendix 1 (Continue) A list of tre
- Page 133 and 134: Appendix 2 (Continue) A list of gra
- Page 135 and 136: Appendix 3 (Continue) A list of for
- Page 137 and 138: Appendix 3 (Continue) A list of for
- Page 139 and 140: Appendix 4: Alien invaders found on
- Page 141 and 142: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 143 and 144: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 145 and 146: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 147 and 148: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 149 and 150: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 151 and 152: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 153 and 154: Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
- Page 155 and 156: Appendix 6: Photographs of each veg
- Page 157 and 158: Appendix 6: Photographs of each veg
When using fire for the control of bush encroachment, it is recommended that it be used in<br />
combination with high browsing pressures. Pure browsers such as kudu do not compete with<br />
grazers and can thus be used to increase the browsing intensity.<br />
The fire regime to be used in controlled burning refers to the type and intensity of fire, and the<br />
season and frequency of burning. These factors are discussed separately below.<br />
TYPE OF FIRE<br />
Three types of fires are distinguished on the basis of the layers in which they:<br />
A ground fire is a fire that burns below the surface of the ground in deep layers of organic<br />
material and plant debris.<br />
A surface fire is a fire that burns in the herbaceous surface vegetation.<br />
A crown fire is a fire that burns in the canopies of trees and shrubs.<br />
Further subdivision can be made into fires burning with and against the wind – head or back-<br />
fires. Crown fires occur only as head fires, but surface fires can be either head or back fires.<br />
Head fires should be used in controlled burning because they cause least damage to the grass<br />
sward but maximum damage to woody vegetation.<br />
FIRE INTENSITY<br />
Fire intensity is a term that refers to the rate at which energy is released per unit length of fire<br />
front and is expressed in kilojoules per second per metre (kJ.s -1 .m -1 ). The intensity of a fire is<br />
influenced by the fuel load, fuel moisture, air humidity, air temperature and wind speed.<br />
A fire will not spread readily when the grass fuel load is less than 2000 kg/ha. Burning of a<br />
veld can therefore only be considered if the grass fuel load is higher than 2000 kg/ha.<br />
The type of fire that is required to remove moribund or unacceptable material is a cool or low<br />
intensity head fire of smaller than 1000 kJ.s -1 .m -1 . This type of fire can be achieved when the<br />
air temperature is below 20 ºC, the relative humidity above 50 percent and the soil moist.<br />
These conditions prevail most often before 11h00 in the morning and after 15h30 in the<br />
afternoon. When burning to control undesirable plants a high intensity fire of larger than 2000<br />
kJ.s -1 .m -1 is necessary. Such a fire can be achieved by burning when the grass fuel load is<br />
more than 4000 kg/ha, the air temperature between 25 ºC and 30 ºC, and the relative humidity<br />
smaller than 30 percent. A fire such as this will cause a significant top-kill of stems and<br />
branches of bush species up to a 3 m height.<br />
© Ecological Associates/ <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> 105
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