FIRE REGIMES THAT CAUSE BIODIVERSITY DECLINE

Nov 24, 2021

Make a submission

The federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has produced a draft paper nominating fire as a threatening process for flora and fauna, particularly those already listed as rare or threatened. This could put unsustainable prescribed burning practices under the spotlight. We need FaBWA members (and supporters) to provide examples of permanent damage or irreversible impacts to vulnerable species as a result of frequent fires.
Submissions need to be in by 10 January 2022.
Once the public has commented on the proposal a Threatened Species Scientific Committee will provide advice to the Minister. If the nomination is successful it should put managers on notice to ensure the fire regimes they impose across ecosystems aren’t decreasing biodiversity.
In your submission attention should also be drawn to the cumulative impacts of repeated spring burns on biodiversity as well as loss of old growth elements in areas subjected to intense and frequent prescribed fires.
The more support the Department receives from the community for this nomination the more likely fire regimes will be considered a key threatening process to our biodiversity. This would be a huge step forward and should put great onus on land managers to monitor and show that their fire management regimes are sustainable.