Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Injinco
Wattle Hills
Lockhart River
Weipa
Great
Barrier
Reef
Aurukun
Cape
York
Peninsula
Pormpuraaw
Hope Vale
Kowanyam
Cooktown
Cairns
Figure 6.1
Map of Cape York Peninsula
(1998, p. 2) characterizes the lack of scientii c consensus surrounding
this debate as 'an inherent circular argument concerning the cause and
ef ect of climate change, vegetation change, and burning through the late
Quaternary'. It is, however, widely accepted that the pattern of burning in
tropical northern Australia has changed in modern times, coinciding with
the displacement of Aborigines by European settlers. Late dry-season,
high-intensity burns now dei ne anthropogenic burning with increased
fuel loads over larger areas. This has reduced i re-sensitive vegetation in
some areas. There has also been a lack of i re in other areas, which has
enhanced i re-sensitive ecosystems (Gill et al., 1990; Bowman, 1998, 2000;
Hill, 2003).
Anthropogenic burning in Cape York provides a typical example of
such changes in burning practices. Overall, an estimated 80 per cent of the
total area of Cape York currently burns each year (Cape York Peninsula
Sustainable Fire Management Programme, personal communication,
