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Fauna Habitats
It will take many decades before rehabilitated areas naturally develop hollow logs and dead wood that provide habitat for animals living in Alcoa’s rehabilitation. Alcoa has recognised this and overcomes the issue by putting logs and rocks back into our rehabilitation.
In the forest animals such as goannas, snakes, chuditches, numbats and mardos use large hollow logs, rocks, burrows and dens for shelter, nesting, breeding and feeding. Many animals dig their burrows under logs and rocks to prevent cave-ins of the soil. Other animals, such as skinks, spiders and ants, live under or inside rotten or cracked wood, or live under rocks.
Fire is a natural part of the northern Jarrah Forest ecology. Alcoa has conducted research to understand the effects of fire on these constructed fauna habitats. This research found that the habitats generally survive even the most intensive hot summer wildfires. Although there is an overall reduction in the size of the habitats, very few were completely burnt, with stumps and rocks remaining intact. The cooler prescribed burns that occur in rehabilitated sites should have only a minor impact on the ecological value of the habitats.
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