Remote sensing of post-fire vegetation recovery; a study using Landsat 5 TM imagery and NDVI in North-East Victoria

Abstract

Development of effective management strategies for fire-prone landscapes is becoming increasingly important within South-East Australia. Monitoring of post-fire vegetation recovery is a critical process in developing these strategies, and is most effectively achieved using remote sensing techniques. This study analyses the effectiveness of Landsat 5 TM imagery and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in assessing regeneration rates of a mixed-species eucalypt forest in North-East Victoria, burnt on 6 December 2006. Multi-temporal analysis of regrowth data was performed, and standardised against an unburnt control area to eliminate any phenological factors affecting the region throughout the relevant timeframe. Results were compared with topoclimatic factors to reveal the level of stress affecting the study area both before the fire, and during post-fire regeneration.

Keywords:

• remote sensing
• NDVI
• Landsat 5 TM
• post-fire recovery
• fire severity
• mixed-species forest

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the North-East Catchment Management Authority for administering funding for this project through the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Bushfire Recovery Grant. Thanks are also extended to the Department of Forestry and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, for assistance with fieldwork.