Forest regrowth in Daylesford 7 months later!

After 7 months of rest, recuperation and some heavy rainfalls, the Wombat State Forest near Daylesford Australia is slowly recovering from the effects of the recent bush fires. When ever I get the chance, I like to take trips into the forest and see how nature tries to rebuild what was lost. It’s pretty clear to me though, there are still sections that burnt so fiercely that nothing is left alive. The ground has beens so severely heat treated that not even weeds have sprouted. It’s as if all vegetation has been cleansed from the area! Yet other areas show promising signs of regrowth. The odd shape of trees, heavily blackened by the fire, sprouting small shoots in all directions immediately takes your attention. Yes they look green and alive but in a strange mutant looking way! One strange occurrence I came across was an area severely damaged by the fire. It’s near the entrance to the Wombat State Forest off Wombat Dam Road.  A huge pile of Sawdust, the former site of a Sawmill, had been left where it had been laid many years ago. During the fire, this Sawdust heap was set on fire and burnt for weeks later. In fact, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) had to blast high pressure water canons into the pile to put it out. Surrounding this burnt out heap is an area of bush that only now appears to be showing signs of returning to normal. However the regrowth is very unusual. Instead of the natural grasses and shrubs, the ground beneath the trees is growing almost exclusively a coating of Moss! While I stood there, I couldn’t help but marvel at the surreal beauty of the blackened trees, contrasted by the green carpet of moss below.

Another interesting side note is the sound of the forest. It’s very quite but you can now hear the sounds of birds calling. Something I didn’t hear the last time I was here. In a location not far from this spot, I came across a Koala having a snack from a young eucalyptus tree. It had entered the farmhouse which I was visiting, giving the family and kids a close up view of nature. Completely docile and at ease from the presence of so many, I think it was just happy to be eating healthy eucalyptus leaves, something it obviously was struggling with in the near by forrest. I suspect the charcoal covered trees, prone to branches snapping in the wind, are not fun to climb, so venturing onto farmland with healthy trees seems to be a big temptation?!

Here are a few shots from my recent trip into the forest during September 2009. Enjoy!