Testing the Resilience of Mine Site Rehabilitation

Fireman performing a controlled burn in grasslandHow do engineered landscapes respond to fire? This project aims to test established rehabilitation by applying fire and measuring the vegetation and land form response in the 2 years following the burn. 

The project is using high spatial and temporal spectral imagery captured by drone along with ground surveys to assess fire severity and recovery, and determine the long-term impacts on lease relinquishment for a number of sites in Queensland and New South Wales. Fires have been conducted at Curragh Mine, Glencore Newlands Mine (night burn photos) and Ensham Mine. 

 

 

before and after images of bushland on fire

Fire under spectral imagery
Image of land on fire under temporal spectral imagery

 

Project members

Peter Erskine

Professor Peter Erskine

Director
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation
Group Leader
Ecosystem Assessment, Restoration and Resilience
Phill McKenna

Phill McKenna

Research Fellow
CMLR
Vinod Nath

Vinod Nath

Research Assistant and Laboratory Technician
CMLR & CWiMI
Vanessa Glenn

Vanessa Glenn

Laboratory Manager & Research Officer
CMLR & CWiMI
Natasha Ufer

Natasha Ufer

Research Officer
CMLR