Eucalypt Elves!
Australian eucalypt forest is so completely adapted to regular burning off that many species (banksia for example, I think) actually require fire to reproduce. Part of your gum elf's gardening role would be the periodic - controlled - burn off of various bits of forest. Note that these sorts of fire tend to be quick and furious, consuming mainly the trash on the forest floor, but leaving the tall established trees standing. It's only when you don't do it for a while, and the litter builds up, that disasters happen.
As to where in gloranthia you might find gum elves, I've no idea.
Owen Jones
Centre for Maths and its Applications, School of Math. Sciences
Australian National University, ACT 0200
Ph +61 6 249 2897 (office) 249 4552 (direct) Fax +61 6 249 5549
Web page http://wwwmaths.anu.edu.au/~oj/
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