A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Eucalyptus tricarpa
Red Ironbark is common throughout Victoria, Australia. A straight tree that usually grows 25 and 35 metres. It has a very dark red-brown bark which is very coarse and deeply furrowed and is very rich with kino (gum).
Infertile soils, dry to semi-dry climate.
In February and March 2009 southeast Australia suffered from the worst fires in recorded history. This was partly a result of going through the worst 10-year drought on record. Although severly burnt, Red Ironbarks have the ability to recover somewhat due to epicormic buds below the thick bark. These pictures were taken exactly ten months later. To see how Eucalyptus regnans (our tallest trees) fared... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/104... To see the effects of the preceding 10 year drought... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/804...
5 Comments
You're right. I wish I could have included shots of the ground cover as well. Some amazing stuff was finding its feet again and it is fascinating what order they follow. That's 2 really severe killer fire seasons I've seen now and I don't want any more.
Something about the australian bush looks so delicate yet so rampant after a bushfire. The ability of so many plants endemic to this continent to just spring back, even lusher than before, after a fire is amazing. The colours in these photos are so evocative too!
Nice spotting. We have grey ironbark here in central Queensland. Lovely timber and very hardy. The termites find it difficult to eat too.
Thank so much Leanne. I did this one because poor martinl seemd sad about his E.regnans spotting. Hope it shows a bit of the other side. This is right next to his too and where his family house burnt down. I'm glad you like it and I hope others (particularly aussies) like it too. Actually, come to think of it, it could be interesting to watch how the regnans is replaced by something else.
Argy, I commend you greatly on these photos. Once I read where these were taken, I realised you took these to show not only the trees & the regrowth, but the ability of the natural Australian environment to regenerate itself. Thanks for sharing, very very special :)