General News
29 November, 2024
Barry's Corner
Fires often take hold in the toughest terrain. While mountains are widely considered treacherous for firefighting, parts of West Wimmera present an equally formidable challenge, with their gullies, waterways, plantations, and volatile stringybark trees. Accessibility is another hurdle, ranging from deep sand to narrow rows of trees.
A strong campaign has been underway for decades to value stringybark trees more highly, as their seeds form a critical part of the diet for the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. This campaign has been highly successful, involving farmers, Landcare groups, students, and the broader community. While Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are found in other regions, this particular subspecies is unique and critically endangered.
When fires threaten these districts, they put immense pressure on volunteers, the CFA, Forest Fire Management, the community, and the region’s biodiversity. Years ago, fire agencies implemented strategies to clear ground debris and prevent fires from reaching higher foliage, which is essential for seed production. While these efforts have had some success, they require precise timing, extensive experience, and strong commitment to ensure effectiveness.
Despite this, there is still significant work to extinguish fires or prevent them from flaring up and spreading across the landscape. The potential loss of stringybark seeds could impact Red-tailed Black Cockatoo populations. After decades of effort to reverse their decline, such losses would be a severe blow to morale for those involved.
With the fire season just beginning — or on the verge of starting — there is still a long way to go. Fire restrictions have not yet been imposed in some shires, but the message is clear: we must take every precaution during this high-risk period.
Balancing biodiversity conservation with protecting livestock and property is a delicate task. Fires can create new tree hollows, but it takes years for these hollows to develop into suitable nesting sites. Losing established hollows is a significant setback, as their formation takes decades.