Fuel reduction: how long do the benefits last?

Posted on 3 June, 2014 by fobif

Evidence presented to the Tarran Valley panel by bushfire expert Stephen Carn on behalf of the CFA shines some light on the limits of fuel reduction. Discussing the fire risk in the area surrounding the proposed development,  Mr Carn says this [among other things] about the bush in the Maldon Historic Reserve:

‘There is evidence of a fuel reduction burn north of the [Tarran Valley] subject land and north of Pipeline Track and west of Tatt Town Track. Records indicate that burn occurred in 2010 and from examination would have had the object of reducing the amount of bark fuels on stringybark trees.

‘Examination of the area indicates that the benefits of that burn have been lost through time and has also resulted in an increase of near surface and understorey fuels.’

Fuel reduction zone near Pipeline Track, June 2014. The land was burned in 2010, but the effect of the fuel reduction is now lost.

Fuel reduction zone near Pipeline Track, June 2014. The land was burned in 2010, but the effect of the fuel reduction is now lost. The CFA’s fire expert speculated about the purpose of the fuel reduction burn: it seems he didn’t have access to DSE burn plans, or to their post burn assessment.

The second of these paragraphs is quite confusing: it could mean that the fuel reduction exercise actually caused the increase in fuel, or it could mean that time has brought about this result.

Continue reading →

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Awarded

Posted on 3 June, 2014 by fobif

On Saturday May 30 the Friends of Kalimna Park were given a Certificate of Appreciation by Parks Victoria for 30 years of dedicated work for the Park. Friends of Kalimna Park began in 1971 as the Kalimna Park Preservation Committee. Since then the group has monitored the Park and assisted with its maintenance and protection, including weeding and revegetation and numerous advocacy, monitoring and educational activities.

Friends of Kalimna members Polly Woods, Robyn Lewis, Bernard Slattery and Geoff Hannon, flanked by Park Ranger Noel Muller [left]and Regional manager Craig Stubbings [right]

Friends of Kalimna members Polly Woods, Robyn Lewis, Bernard Slattery and Geoff Hannon, flanked by Park Ranger Noel Muller [left]and Regional manager Craig Stubbings [right]


In Victoria , nearly 220 000 hours of work was undertaken by Parks Victoria volunteers in 180 parks and reserves across the state in 2012/13. This equates to nearly 30 000 volunteer days and is the equivalent of 123 full time staff for a year.

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Look north

Posted on 3 June, 2014 by fobif

Bendigo environmentalists are campaigning to have the status of the Wellsford forest upgraded to give it a chance to recover from long term over exploitation. The Wellsford Forest Conservation Alliance has widespread community support: their recent Big Trees Walk attracted 109 participants!
For a look at their terrific Facebook page, illustrated by some eloquent photos, go to https://www.facebook.com/wellsfordconservation

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Look south

Posted on 3 June, 2014 by fobif

To keep abreast of how things are in the wetter forests to the south of our area you can’t do better than check on the activities of Wombat Forestcare at http://www.wombatforestcare.org.au/

The website gives access to the group’s fantastically informative and entertaining newsletter, the latest edition of which is devoted to fungi of the Wombat.

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Tarran Valley: an update

Posted on 28 May, 2014 by fobif

FOBIF’s submission on the proposed Tarran Valley development near Maldon can be found here. It is a more detailed statement of the case summarised in our April 29 posts on this matter.

Further submissions by the developer to the panel concentrate the proposed housing, and move it further from surrounding bushland: this altered proposal seems to have weakened reservations about the fire risk by the CFA and DEPI. The latter, however, in its latest submission, repeats what it said, confusingly, before:

‘It is DEPI’s experience however that at some time in the future residents of the subdivision would expect DEPI to undertake greater levels of fire management within the adjoining [Maldon Historic] reserve if inconsistent defendable space is imposed within the subject land.’

It’s not clear what the Department means by ‘inconsistent defendable space.’

The panel will bring down its decision within a month.

 

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