Many assertions have been made in recent months that prescribed burning would not have made any difference on Black Saturday or other days of extreme fire weather as well as claims that low intensity cool burns have a harmful effect on the environment.
This report challenges the misconception that there is little evidence that prescribed fuel reduction burning is an effective bushfire management tool.
The VLA will post papers and research findings here on the website so members of the community can gain a better understanding of some of the issues relating to land management.
There are a variety of publications to link to from here. Some are historical in nature, some are the results of applied research and some are refereed papers.
The VLA will post papers and research findings on water and river management and the effects of this management on the environment and communities.
There are a variety of publications to link to from here. Some are historical in nature, some are the results of applied research and some are refereed papers.
In each of the summers of 2002/03 and 2006/07, 1 million hectares or more of public land was burned by bushfires, mostly of high intensity. The Peoples Review responded to a concern that, although some earlier inquiries in Victoria politiely listened to the local views and concerns, they were summarily dismissed in the subsequent reports. No opportunity was given to people to respond to or comment on what was ultimately written in these reports.
The Peoples Review is the voice of the people collated over 18 months, with recommendations formulated and put forward to better prepare Victoria for inevitable bushfire
The Peoples Review gives a voice to the people of Victoria on fire management.
The Victorian Lands Alliance commends the report to you.
If you or your group are at all interested in the management of public land then this report is compelling reading.
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Peoples Review of the Bushfires.pdf | 5,487.37 Kb |
This submission by the Victorian Lands Alliance argues
- That the concept of the primacy of fire management as the cornerstone for effective public land management in Victoria must be embraced.
- That more fuel reduction burning be undertaken in Victoria to maximise fire management opportunities.
- That the primary operational constraint on meeting current fuel reduction targets is a lack of financial and personnel resources.
- The focus of expenditure on fire suppression over fire prevention is delivering a poor financial and environmental outcome for Victoria.
- On substantial areas of public land, no fire prevention work is undertaken on a year to year basis.
- That forest industry activity provides fire prevention and risk management benefits not provided effectively by any other stakeholder group.
- There should be a State wide non-government organisation representing people involved in the use, management and conservation of public land.
- That the Royal Commission recommend initial or seed funding be made available to the Victorian Lands Alliance to assist it to become the fire forum, or State wide non-government organisation representing people involved in the use, management and conservation of public land.
- That the Royal Commission reviews the beneficial impact cattle grazing can have on reducing fire fuel loads and recommend that this be part of fire management for public land.
- That the Government introduces a planning overlay designating Fire Prone Local Government Areas to assist fire prevention activities.
The multi party Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the Victorian Parliament was asked by the parliament to report on the Impacts of Public Land Management on Bushfires in Victoria.
The committee, chaired by former Labor minister, John Pandazopoulos tabled its report in the parliament on June 26th 2008. The government responded to that Inquiry report on December 4th 2008.
Due to community concern at the government response to what was widely viewed as a very competent and well researched report, the VLA reviewed and commented on the government response.
This review was presented to the Victorian Government in June.
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VLA Review of Govt response to ENRC.pdf | 468.51 Kb |
