But Kirsty can link people affected into the support that is being organised. Here is her summary of the situation and what's available.
The following
local Landcare groups have had been impacted by the
fires:
- Upper Maribyrnong Catchment (Landcare) Group - roughly 70% of group's area burnt
- Clarkefield and District Farm Landcare Group
- Sunbury Landcare Association
- Riddells Creek Landcare Group
See the maps
on the Victorian Landcare Gateway that show the extent of the impact of the
fires on local Landcare groups.
These maps
are being loaded onto the Gateway as they are produced by DEPI GIS staff and its
hoped that maps of those groups impacted will be on the Gateway by COB Friday 21
February. Note: some areas of South Gisborne that were burnt do not have
coverage by a Landcare group.
Assistance
for Landholders
There are a
huge number of landholders affected and in need at this time, and some will
require property visits with advice on what they could do and how to go about
it. We hope to assist landholders by providing:
- advice
- property visits
- distributing information
- conducting workshops on silt traps, erosion control, revegetation, pasture management, stock management, weed identification and management and whole farm planning.
Fencing
There is currently an enormous job for landholders to remove and replace both boundary and internal fences. The overall length of the fences burnt is still being assessed, however some reports suggest that more fencing might need to be replaced than occurred after the 2009 fires, given the large number of landholders (about 600) impacted by these fires.
There is currently an enormous job for landholders to remove and replace both boundary and internal fences. The overall length of the fences burnt is still being assessed, however some reports suggest that more fencing might need to be replaced than occurred after the 2009 fires, given the large number of landholders (about 600) impacted by these fires.
BlazeAid is currently gearing up to assist with the fencing effort
and we hope to channel volunteers where help is needed. The Fencers without
Boundaries program (using primarily corporate volunteers), which was
implemented in the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network region after the 2009 fires,
will move south to assist with the local fire recovery effort.
Land Class
Fencing
The fires
provide an opportunity for landholders to put best practice land management
systems in place, possibly changing their fencing to fence to land types,
creating shelter belts, protecting waterways and remnant vegetation etc. See
brochure on Land Class Fencing
http://www.landcarevic.net.au/resources/for-land-managers/bushfire-recovery-resources-for-landholders/fences
http://www.landcarevic.net.au/resources/for-land-managers/bushfire-recovery-resources-for-landholders/fences
Workshops
The Upper
Deep Creek Landcare Network, in conjunction with the Upper Maribyrnong Catchment
Group, Department of Environment and Primary Industries and Melbourne Water is
organising a series of workshops and field days for landholders who have been
impacted by the fires. This includes workshops on:
- Soils, pasture recovery, erosion control, stock management, water quality
- Sediment fencing for erosion control (field day using rice straw)
- Equine land management in a bushfire recovery context
- Whole Farm Planning
- Revegetation
- Weed control
The program
of workshops is currently being developed - more details on these workshops in
up-coming bulletins.
Funding
A range of funding options are available for fire affected landholders. However, landholders will require guidance to navigate the range of financial assistance available, as there are number of different funding sources depending on where landholders are situated. Please contact me if you require funding. In addition, the Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network and the South West Goulburn Landcare Network will be applying for funding to assist with the fire recovery process.
Macedon
Ranges Shire - Bushfire Recovery Workshops - 1
March
The Shire has
organised workshops for farmers on 1 March. Go to http://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/Council_the_Region/News_Media/Latest_News/Workshops_for_farmers
Council has asked if there are any Landcare members or groups that would like
to/be willing to have a stall at this event run by the Shire centred around fire
recovery, which will be held in Romsey on 1 March, to please let William Terry
(Macedon Ranges Shire - wterry@mrsc.vic.gov.au) know. William is
particularly interested to know if anyone who has experienced a fire before
would be willing to speak about the land recovery process at the Romsey event.
Unfortunately I will be away on 1 March. If you or your Landcare group would
like to have a stall at the Romsey workshop I can make sure you have plenty of
information to hand out and can bring you up to speed on what we may be able to
offer.
Fire
Recovery Coordination in Mitchell Shire
The Upper
Deep Creek Landcare Network and South West Goulburn Landcare Network facilitated
a meeting (in Wallan on Thursday 19 Feb), which was attended by: local
government, Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Goulburn Broken
CMA, Melbourne Water, Upper Goulburn Landcare Network, Broken Catchment Landcare
Network. This meeting was held to learn lessons from the past and to ensure that
there is coordination and collaboration among all groups and agencies on the the
delivery of the fire recovery efforts.
Macedon
Ranges Shire Natural/Agricultural Environment Recovery Sub-Committee
I have been
invited to participate on the Natural/Agricultural Environment Recovery
Sub-Committee meeting that Macedon Ranges Shire Council has organised and can
feed any thoughts you have to this committee. They are very keen to have a
landholder on the committee so let me know if you would like to have a voice in
representing fire affected landholders to Council.
Plants for
Revegetation
Ian Taylor (Western Plains Flora) has
donated 2,000 plants to assist with the fire recovery efforts. If you would like
to access some of these plants please contact me to get a voucher for 50 plants
(one box of tubes) that you can collect from Ian's nursery. Please note the
plants you require may not always be in stock and may need to be ordered in
advance.
Volunteers
Among some of the ways that you may be able to assist with the fire recovery process include pulling down and erecting fences, helping put up silt barriers, moving logs along contour lines to help limit movement of top soil, revegetation and planting shelter belts. Let me know if you are willing to help in any way.
Among some of the ways that you may be able to assist with the fire recovery process include pulling down and erecting fences, helping put up silt barriers, moving logs along contour lines to help limit movement of top soil, revegetation and planting shelter belts. Let me know if you are willing to help in any way.
Bushfire
Recovery Resources for Landholders Website
A new page
has been established on the Victorian Landcare Gateway where bushfire recovery
information can be easily accessed http://www.landcarevic.net.au/resources/for-land-managers/bushfire-recovery-resources-for-landholders
Upper Deep
Creek Landcare Network Facebook Page
I have set up
an Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/upperdeepcreek sharing updates on
the bushfires and Landcare issues.
If any of you
have ideas on how else we can assist landholders, questions, or would like to
offer your assistance, please let me know.
Landcare Facilitator
Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network
and providing support to Jacksons Creek EcoNetwork
0409 608 030
Upper Deep Creek Landcare Network
and providing support to Jacksons Creek EcoNetwork
0409 608 030
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