Refinements to the burning strategy in the Etosha National Park, Namibia

Abstract

Until 1980, official policy forbade intentional veld- burning within the boundaries of the Etosha National Park. It was only in 1981 that fire was recognised by management and research as playing a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of the cur- rent vegetation communities. An objective approach to intentional veld-burning is presented simulating the incidence of lightning fires, and the subjectivity in choosing areas to burn is reduced. The selection of areas to burn depends on the mean seasonal rainfall in each burning block, the time since it last burnt and the accumulation of herbaceous fuel. Additional factors considered are the moribundness in grasses, the game pressure and the cover of green vegetation derived from satellite data.