Author Archives: fobif

Yes! It’s spring!

Posted on 5 September, 2016 by fobif

…And there are plenty of reasons to get out into the bush. Here are a couple:    

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Oh no! It’s spring!

Posted on 5 September, 2016 by fobif

Is this the best [that is, worst] year ever for the Oxalis weed? Since autumn we’ve seen the dense mats seem to get denser, to spread more widely, and to cover areas the weed’s never been strong in before. And now … Continue reading →

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Yes we do, no we don’t

Posted on 5 September, 2016 by fobif

Do we know enough about fire behaviour to justify present fuel management practices? ‘Of course we do! Our practice is informed by generations of research and experience!’ is one view. ‘No: our practices are blunt and often blind to local … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Management | 3 Comments

Historic places report on the way

Posted on 29 August, 2016 by fobif

The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) will submit the Final Report on its Historic Places Investigation to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change on Wednesday 31 August 2016, rather later than originally planned.  The report will be publicly released … Continue reading →

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Undeterred by a bit of mist

Posted on 24 August, 2016 by fobif

A small group braved low temperatures, threatening cloud and persistent drizzle on Sunday for FOBIF’s August walk in Walmer. The weather looked worse than it really was, however, and the walk proved a pleasant stroll through mist barely strong enough … Continue reading →

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What’s eating our red gums?

Posted on 15 August, 2016 by fobif

For some months now, local Red Gums, especially around Mount Alexander, have been looking pretty bedraggled, attacked by some leaf eating insect we’ve been unable to identify. It seems to prefer only Red Gums: many Australians are unable to tell … Continue reading →

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Fire monitoring abandoned before it’s begun

Posted on 15 August, 2016 by fobif

As we have previously reported, funding for the very worthy Box Ironbark mosaic burning project has been ceased. But we had been led to believe that this all too brief project would be continued in some reduced way by DELWP … Continue reading →

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A walk in winter sunshine

Posted on 18 July, 2016 by fobif

A strong turnout rocked up for FOBIF’s July walk in bracing winter sunshine on Sunday. The walk took in several unnamed ridge tops and hidden valleys in a loop around the Helge Track area. Temperatures during the day were low, … Continue reading →

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Fire on the Loddon? Not so much, but…

Posted on 18 July, 2016 by fobif

As we’ve previously reported, draft DELWP fire maps have shown an area along the Loddon River between Vaughan and Glenluce as Zone 2 (bushfire management): this would require management burns to cover 80% of the defined area at uncomfortably regular intervals. … Continue reading →

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Fire [2]: that old tree question, again…

Posted on 18 July, 2016 by fobif

Readers will be familiar with our repeated complaint that DELWP’s fuel reduction exercises frequently destroy valuable old hollow bearing trees. This is unintentional, but often seems to us to be plain careless. It isn’t just a local problem: Gippsland research has … Continue reading →

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