Tussock Recovery Index

1. Divide the area being assessed or considered for burning into blocks representing the aspect and altitudinal diversity present.
   Check that tussock canopy cover of the Chionochloa rigida grassland exceeds 50%. i.e. the sum of all the total area of tussock canopy on a per unit area basis must exceed 50% of the ground area. If measured along a transect line, this equates to 70%.

2. In each block select a representative uniform area of at least 20 by 20 metres.

3. Check you have the correct tussock species! The index does not apply to red tussock (Chionochloa rubra) or slim snow tussock (C. macra), both of which are distinguishable from narrow-leaved snow tussock by the presence of leaf sheaths without horizontal breaks. Note that mixed tussock-shrublands are also outside the range of the recovery index.

4. Along a 20m long transect through the plot record the total length of the tape intercepted by tussock canopy (must be greater than 70%) at 2m intervals collect 4 mature tillers from the nearest tussock. For each of the ten tussocks sampled measure:
   
   • Mean tiller length (for the total sample, mean should exceed 0.6 metres). This measurement is taken after the tiller has been removed from the tussock by breaking the tiller at the stem-leaf junction.
   • Mean tiller weight after drying all tillers at between 70-80 degrees Celsius (for total sample mean should exceed 1.2 grams)

5. If all criteria are fulfilled, the tussocks have adequately recovered from previous disturbances.