Thinning of woody regrowth
Management Activity
Thinning woody regrowth involves removing some young vegetation in areas where human disturbance has lead to a thickening of vegetation. Generally, it is done to reduce competition between trees and pastures. Thinning can be carried out using fire, grazing, selective removal or other management technicques. Like clearing, thinning of vegetation may impact on several ecological and biophysical pathways, subsequently resulting in changes such as altered hydrology and/or ecosystem services.
The direct impacts of thinning of woody vegetation may include:
- Loss of deep-rooted perennial trees and shrubs
- Reduced ground cover in some situations
- Increased ground cover in some situations
- Reduced canopy cover
- Increased invasion of environmental weeds
- Increased soil compaction
- Increased habitat fragmentation
- Increased greenhouse gas emission
Last updated: 04 November 2008