Tom Fairman
@itsnotfairman.bsky.social
Ecologist × forester = forest scientist. Works with forests, fire and people in south-eastern Australia.
great editorial on risk aversion in forest management particularly on proactive fire management vs reactive fire suppression. Equally relevant to southern Australia. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Managing public lands requires a new kind of leader
Click on the article title to read more.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:19 PM
great editorial on risk aversion in forest management particularly on proactive fire management vs reactive fire suppression. Equally relevant to southern Australia. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Interesting to see this report reporting that closing the native timber industry in Victoria has cost $1.5 billion (so far). It's good to contrast this to earlier estimates (and it's a gold thing I have a long memory!)
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victori...
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victori...
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au
November 4, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Interesting to see this report reporting that closing the native timber industry in Victoria has cost $1.5 billion (so far). It's good to contrast this to earlier estimates (and it's a gold thing I have a long memory!)
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victori...
www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victori...
Nice to see this expert elicitation on strategic fuel breaks being published. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Strategic fuel breaks: uses, features and perceived effectiveness in south-eastern Australia
Fuel breaks are strategically placed modified strips of vegetation that are widely used within fire prone forests around the world. They are used for a range of purposes, including active fire supp...
www.tandfonline.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Nice to see this expert elicitation on strategic fuel breaks being published. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Finally someone is looking into the obsession with the word "Great" when it comes to natural assets. Same story for national parks - does my head in that we have a Great Otway, Great Koala, and Great Forest National Park (well that last one doesn't actually exist) www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
‘It’s become a bit meaningless’: why does Australia have so many new Great Walks?
Whether a clever marketing ploy or truly great by nature, these walks are attracting hikers in increasing numbers
www.theguardian.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Finally someone is looking into the obsession with the word "Great" when it comes to natural assets. Same story for national parks - does my head in that we have a Great Otway, Great Koala, and Great Forest National Park (well that last one doesn't actually exist) www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
Kirsha Kaechele spoke at the Forestry Australia conference last year and it was a real treat. She brings an insightful outsiders perspective to the otherwise mind numbing forest war debates. www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion...
September 29, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Kirsha Kaechele spoke at the Forestry Australia conference last year and it was a real treat. She brings an insightful outsiders perspective to the otherwise mind numbing forest war debates. www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion...
Good to see coverage of tree fern sales. I tend to agree with Prof Baker in this - Tasmania's tree fern sale system seems pretty good, particularly in how it raises fees for tags which then goes to fund monitoring and research. Victoria is another story, though. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Why Tasmanian ferns hundreds of years old are on sale in UK garden centres
Thousands of native tree ferns are harvested from Tasmania's forests for export each year. Some say the trade saves ferns from destruction, while others accuse the industry of greenwashing.
www.abc.net.au
September 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Good to see coverage of tree fern sales. I tend to agree with Prof Baker in this - Tasmania's tree fern sale system seems pretty good, particularly in how it raises fees for tags which then goes to fund monitoring and research. Victoria is another story, though. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Great to see the range of perspectives on how we manage ash forests for resilience in the future. Though I don't reckon opinions are divided in that we need new thinking and approaches. www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast...
Opinions divided on how to save our precious mountain ash forests
New research has found Australia's heat-stressed forests are rapidly thinning, and could even be producing carbon emissions. It comes as the government prepares to release its 2035 emissions targets and a climate risk report later this month. But local researchers, politicians and Traditional Owner…
www.sbs.com.au
September 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Great to see the range of perspectives on how we manage ash forests for resilience in the future. Though I don't reckon opinions are divided in that we need new thinking and approaches. www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast...
"Mr Dimopoulos said Parks Victoria had the funding required to maintain the new national parks.
"Parks Victoria are well funded and have all the resources they need," he said."
The same old story: more National Parks, and no new funding to actually manage them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
"Parks Victoria are well funded and have all the resources they need," he said."
The same old story: more National Parks, and no new funding to actually manage them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Victoria set to have first new national parks in more than a decade
Conservation groups are celebrating proposed legislation for three new national parks in Victoria but not all bush users are happy.
www.abc.net.au
September 14, 2025 at 6:03 AM
"Mr Dimopoulos said Parks Victoria had the funding required to maintain the new national parks.
"Parks Victoria are well funded and have all the resources they need," he said."
The same old story: more National Parks, and no new funding to actually manage them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
"Parks Victoria are well funded and have all the resources they need," he said."
The same old story: more National Parks, and no new funding to actually manage them.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
The Victorian Government is establishing a suite of long promised national parks but quite interesting to see the last paragraph sends a pretty clear message about the prospect for any future parks. www.premier.vic.gov.au/best-bush-op...
September 10, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The Victorian Government is establishing a suite of long promised national parks but quite interesting to see the last paragraph sends a pretty clear message about the prospect for any future parks. www.premier.vic.gov.au/best-bush-op...
Great to see the Guardian picking up this great new research on forest density and based off decades of silvicultural measurements in Victoria.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Victoria’s mountain ash forests could lose a quarter of ‘giant’ trees as temperatures rise
Eucalyptus regnans – which regularly reach 60 to 80m tall – lose about 9% of their trees for every degree of warming, research finds
www.theguardian.com
August 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Great to see the Guardian picking up this great new research on forest density and based off decades of silvicultural measurements in Victoria.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
"Third, we need national environmental standards to provide a basis for the commonwealth to accredit state decision-making processes, permitting the streamlining of project approvals."
Call me crazy, but that sounds like the (in)famous Regional Forest Agreements.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Call me crazy, but that sounds like the (in)famous Regional Forest Agreements.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Fixing Australia’s broken environmental laws must be the first step in improving productivity | Ken Henry
There is no chance of Australia becoming more economic resilient if we don’t have robust national laws that set clear environmental standards
www.theguardian.com
August 15, 2025 at 9:36 AM
"Third, we need national environmental standards to provide a basis for the commonwealth to accredit state decision-making processes, permitting the streamlining of project approvals."
Call me crazy, but that sounds like the (in)famous Regional Forest Agreements.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Call me crazy, but that sounds like the (in)famous Regional Forest Agreements.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"Alpine Ash in Victoria’s Native Forests Silviculture Reference Manual will support DEECA’s Forest Fire and Operations Division’s forest health initiatives for these vulnerable communities."
www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au/initiatives/...
www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au/initiatives/...
New manual helps Alpine Ash forests
Bill Paul is helping protect Alpine Ash forests by supporting forest health initiatives through his work on the Silviculture Reference Manual.
www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au
August 8, 2025 at 12:20 AM
"Alpine Ash in Victoria’s Native Forests Silviculture Reference Manual will support DEECA’s Forest Fire and Operations Division’s forest health initiatives for these vulnerable communities."
www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au/initiatives/...
www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au/initiatives/...
Some interesting work from the Arthur Rylah Institute of the Vic Govt - longitudinal records of understorey change following severe windstorm in the Dandenong ranges. General increase in wiregrass and understorey owing to increase in light availability.
www.ari.vic.gov.au/__data/asset...
www.ari.vic.gov.au/__data/asset...
www.ari.vic.gov.au
August 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Some interesting work from the Arthur Rylah Institute of the Vic Govt - longitudinal records of understorey change following severe windstorm in the Dandenong ranges. General increase in wiregrass and understorey owing to increase in light availability.
www.ari.vic.gov.au/__data/asset...
www.ari.vic.gov.au/__data/asset...
Super interesting paper - small scale community sawmills in Mexico ended up having positive effects on reducing deforestation and increasing reforestation. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Community sawmills can save forests: Forest regrowth and avoided deforestation due to vertical integration of wood production in Mexican community forests
Integrated conservation and development efforts in low- and middle-income countries have emphasized the devolution of forest management to local commu…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 2, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Super interesting paper - small scale community sawmills in Mexico ended up having positive effects on reducing deforestation and increasing reforestation. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
New paper out! This is a big, interdisciplinary reflection on the types of challenges that are likely to come our way in the context of wildfires in the next 50 years. Was fun to write this one. authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Interdisciplinary challenges for wildfire futures
Wildfire has shaped many ecosystems across Earth, and humans have in turn shaped fire and its interactions within a range of socio-ecological systems.…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 31, 2025 at 10:10 AM
New paper out! This is a big, interdisciplinary reflection on the types of challenges that are likely to come our way in the context of wildfires in the next 50 years. Was fun to write this one. authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Our silviculture manual for Alpine Ash is now freely available in PDF form. This reference manual covers the past, present and future of stewarding and restoring alpine ash in Victoria. www.vgls.vic.gov.au/client/en_AU...
July 29, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Our silviculture manual for Alpine Ash is now freely available in PDF form. This reference manual covers the past, present and future of stewarding and restoring alpine ash in Victoria. www.vgls.vic.gov.au/client/en_AU...
Reposted by Tom Fairman
Thunderstorms are a major — and growing — threat to tropical trees, reports a new analysis in Ecology Letters led by Cary’s @evangora.bsky.social. Insights are critical to guiding decisions about forest restoration and conservation www.caryinstitute.org/news-insight...
Thunderstorms are a major driver of tree death in tropical forests
Trees in tropical forests are dying at an increased rate, with consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and the global climate. While deforestation is the primary cause of forest loss, intact fo...
www.caryinstitute.org
July 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Thunderstorms are a major — and growing — threat to tropical trees, reports a new analysis in Ecology Letters led by Cary’s @evangora.bsky.social. Insights are critical to guiding decisions about forest restoration and conservation www.caryinstitute.org/news-insight...
New work from USA showing how thinning and fire treatments can accelerate restoration of mature/old-growth characteristics in fire dependent ecosystems academic.oup.com/forestry/adv...
Evaluating the efficacy of thinning and prescribed fire for restoring mature forest characteristics in the Eastern Cascades, USA
Abstract. Historical fire exclusion, intensive logging of large trees of fire-tolerant species, and even-aged management have contributed to widespread dec
academic.oup.com
July 9, 2025 at 1:18 AM
New work from USA showing how thinning and fire treatments can accelerate restoration of mature/old-growth characteristics in fire dependent ecosystems academic.oup.com/forestry/adv...
Someone - ideally not affiliated with the pro/anti sides - needs to write a history of the rise and fall (TBC?) of the decade+ long Great Forest NP concept. My take: a very strong brand that ultimately lost steam when the key threat (logging) ended in the region www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Hopes for a new national park dashed, to the delight of hunters
Hunters and fishers have celebrated a vow from Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos that the Victorian government will not legislate a new national park spanning more than half a million hectares.
www.theage.com.au
July 4, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Someone - ideally not affiliated with the pro/anti sides - needs to write a history of the rise and fall (TBC?) of the decade+ long Great Forest NP concept. My take: a very strong brand that ultimately lost steam when the key threat (logging) ended in the region www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Interesting to see this media release from Forestry Corp NSW on their alpine ash seed collection program. FWIW the recommendation in Victoria is to have 17t of seed collected and stored; FC NSW is aiming for 800kg.
www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/releas...
www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/releas...
June 28, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Interesting to see this media release from Forestry Corp NSW on their alpine ash seed collection program. FWIW the recommendation in Victoria is to have 17t of seed collected and stored; FC NSW is aiming for 800kg.
www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/releas...
www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/releas...
Reposted by Tom Fairman
Teaching a field-based class is a great way to discuss current challenges of forest management with students! Also a wonderful opportunity to connect with and learn from practitioners!
June 26, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Teaching a field-based class is a great way to discuss current challenges of forest management with students! Also a wonderful opportunity to connect with and learn from practitioners!
I've been banging on about this issue - immature alpine ash, fire and seed - for years so it was great to get a chance to contribute to this ABC Landline story about it. "A 'time bomb' in the state's ash forests" www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
Alpine forests face collapse without urgent reforestation, say scientists
Bushfires and a lack of seed have created a "ticking time bomb" in Victoria's alpine and mountain ash forests, scientists are warning.
www.abc.net.au
June 21, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I've been banging on about this issue - immature alpine ash, fire and seed - for years so it was great to get a chance to contribute to this ABC Landline story about it. "A 'time bomb' in the state's ash forests" www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...
Great to see coverage of this super important issue for Victoria's forests, particularly alpine ash.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Declining seed back a threat to Victorian forests - ABC listen
The end of logging in Victoria may have inadvertently put the state's Alpine forests at risk.
www.abc.net.au
June 21, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Great to see coverage of this super important issue for Victoria's forests, particularly alpine ash.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...