❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Environment regarding the prescribed burn BS120 and subsequent wildfire, focusing on environmental impact, biodiversity, and logging plans. The Minister provides data and explanations, acknowledging some assessments are incomplete due to work priorities.
AnsweredQoN 5805Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to my questions on notice Nos 3015 and 3232 of 2010, and regarding prescribed burn BS120 in 2010, and I ask —
(1) What was the area burnt in —
(a) prescribed burn BS120; and
(b) the subsequent wildfire in —
(i) Wiltshire-Butler National Park;
(ii) Blackwood River National Park;
(iii) Rosa forest block;
(iv) Butler forest block;
(v) other; and
(vi) total?
(2) Given that the success criterion for no more than 30 per cent of the total forested area to be fully crown scorched was not achieved, what percentage was fully crown scorched?
(3) Was the success criterion of burning between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the riparian and forest areas of
Agonis flexuosa
achieved?
(4) If no to (3), how much of —
(a) the riparian areas; and
(b) the forest areas
of
Agonis flexuosa
was burnt?
(5) Did the burn provide protection to fish habitat by the planned burning of part of the riparian zone habitat at lower intensities than would occur during a high intensity summer bushfire?
(6) What were the burn intensities in the riparian zone in comparison with those of a high intensity summer bushfire?
(7) Did the burn provide protection to western ringtail possum habitat by the planned burning of between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the
Agonis flexuosa
areas at lower intensities than would occur during a high intensity summer bushfire?
(8) What were the burn intensities in
Agonis flexuosa
in comparison with those of a high intensity summer bushfire?
(9) Given that the primary purpose and objective of the burn was to protect, maintain and enhance specific components of the local biodiversity, including Balston's pygmy perch, Western mud minnow and Western ringtail possum habitat, and to protect, maintain and enhance priority flora within and adjacent to the burn area, have the fish populations and water quality in tributaries of the Blackwood River and the response of priority flora to the fire within and adjacent to the burn area now been assessed?
(10) If yes to (9), what are the results?
(11) If no to (9), why not?
(12) What percentages of the populations of the seven species of Priority Flora found in the area of the planned burn (
Acacia tayloriana
(P4),
Astroloma sp. Nannup
(P4),
Chordiflex gracilior
(P3),
Hybanthus volubilils
(P2),
Leptinella drummondii
(P2),
Darwinia sp
(P1) and
Eucalyptus relicta
(P2)) were burnt?
(13) Have the approximately 18 endangered Baudin's and Carnaby's black cockatoos, due for release from a property adjacent to Helms block in late 2010 but whose release was postponed because of prescribed burn BS120, been released?
(14) If yes to (13), when and where?
(15) If no to (13), why not?
(16) How long after the canopy is fully scorched by fire do marri trees provide nuts suitable for cockatoos to feed on?
(17) What logging (coupe(s) with area gross and net, silvicultural method, estimated forest products to be extracted by species, grade and amount) is currently planned for Helms block and when is it to take place?
(18) Will the Minister now provide a map, satellite imagery and photographs showing the extent of the prescribed burn and resulting wildfire and the mosaics left unburnt?
(1) What was the area burnt in —
(a) prescribed burn BS120; and
(b) the subsequent wildfire in —
(i) Wiltshire-Butler National Park;
(ii) Blackwood River National Park;
(iii) Rosa forest block;
(iv) Butler forest block;
(v) other; and
(vi) total?
(2) Given that the success criterion for no more than 30 per cent of the total forested area to be fully crown scorched was not achieved, what percentage was fully crown scorched?
(3) Was the success criterion of burning between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the riparian and forest areas of
Agonis flexuosa
achieved?
(4) If no to (3), how much of —
(a) the riparian areas; and
(b) the forest areas
of
Agonis flexuosa
was burnt?
(5) Did the burn provide protection to fish habitat by the planned burning of part of the riparian zone habitat at lower intensities than would occur during a high intensity summer bushfire?
(6) What were the burn intensities in the riparian zone in comparison with those of a high intensity summer bushfire?
(7) Did the burn provide protection to western ringtail possum habitat by the planned burning of between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the
Agonis flexuosa
areas at lower intensities than would occur during a high intensity summer bushfire?
(8) What were the burn intensities in
Agonis flexuosa
in comparison with those of a high intensity summer bushfire?
(9) Given that the primary purpose and objective of the burn was to protect, maintain and enhance specific components of the local biodiversity, including Balston's pygmy perch, Western mud minnow and Western ringtail possum habitat, and to protect, maintain and enhance priority flora within and adjacent to the burn area, have the fish populations and water quality in tributaries of the Blackwood River and the response of priority flora to the fire within and adjacent to the burn area now been assessed?
(10) If yes to (9), what are the results?
(11) If no to (9), why not?
(12) What percentages of the populations of the seven species of Priority Flora found in the area of the planned burn (
Acacia tayloriana
(P4),
Astroloma sp. Nannup
(P4),
Chordiflex gracilior
(P3),
Hybanthus volubilils
(P2),
Leptinella drummondii
(P2),
Darwinia sp
(P1) and
Eucalyptus relicta
(P2)) were burnt?
(13) Have the approximately 18 endangered Baudin's and Carnaby's black cockatoos, due for release from a property adjacent to Helms block in late 2010 but whose release was postponed because of prescribed burn BS120, been released?
(14) If yes to (13), when and where?
(15) If no to (13), why not?
(16) How long after the canopy is fully scorched by fire do marri trees provide nuts suitable for cockatoos to feed on?
(17) What logging (coupe(s) with area gross and net, silvicultural method, estimated forest products to be extracted by species, grade and amount) is currently planned for Helms block and when is it to take place?
(18) Will the Minister now provide a map, satellite imagery and photographs showing the extent of the prescribed burn and resulting wildfire and the mosaics left unburnt?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 September 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
35 days
(1) (a) 9772 hectares.
(b)(i)-(ii) See the answer to part (4) of question on notice 3015.
(iii)-(iv) See the answer to part (5) of question on notice 3015.
(v) Nil
(vi) See the answer to part (6) of question on notice 3015.
(2) See the answer to part (3) of question on notice 3759.
(3)-(4) See the answer to part (2) of question on notice 3759.
(5) Yes
(6) A summer bushfire would have a significantly greater intensity than the prescribed burn and bushfire in spring.
(7) Yes
(8) A summer bushfire would have a significantly greater intensity than the prescribed burn and bushfire in spring.
(9) No monitoring has yet been conducted on the Balston's pygmy perch, western mud minnow and water quality. Priority flora within and adjacent to the burn area have been partially assessed.
(10) The populations of
Chordifex gracilior
(priority 3) and
Hybanthus volubilis
(priority 3) within BS120 were not able to be relocated, and further survey is required during the flowering period to relocate these populations. The priority 1
Darwinia
sp. WhicherRange(M. Spencer 149) was monitored pre-burn and a number of individual plants were tagged, and the population was monitored again in March 2012 and is recovering well post fire. The priority 2
Eucalyptus relicta
population was monitored pre-burn and in March 2012, was 100% burnt and is recovering well post fire. The declared rare fauna
Daviesia elongata
subsp.
elongata
population burnt during the wildfire was monitored in March 2011 and March 2012, and is recovering well post fire. The majority of plants observed were resprouting from rootstock. A number of individual plants were tagged in 2011 and some had flowered in 2012. A small number of seedlings were located in 2012 and were tagged in order to confirm their identity once they reach maturity.
(11) Other work priorities have prevented DEC undertaking monitoring of fish, water quality and some flora species. With regard to fish and water quality, analysis of imagery indicates the vegetation upstream and downstream of the two sites of recorded occurrences of Balston's pygmy perch and western mud minnow as unburnt or having a low burn ratio, such that refuge habitat is likely to have been retained and the potential for sedimentation minimised.
(12)
Acacia tayloriana
and
Astroloma
sp. Nannup (R.D. Royce 3978) - not assessed.
Chordifex gracilior
,
Hybanthus volubilis
and
Eucalyptus relicta
- 100% burnt.
Leptinella drummondii
- this population has not been observed since 1973 and the exact location is not clear, so it is unknown if this population was burnt during BS120.
Darwinia
sp. WhicherRange(M. Spencer 149) - one of the two populations within BS120 was 100% burnt while the other was excluded from the burn.
(13) No
(14) Not applicable
(15) The rehabilitators are continuing to request that the release be postponed.
(16) There is no definitive answer to the question as it is dependent upon the stage of the seed cycle at the time of scorching and the degree of scorch experienced by individual trees. Marri flowers annually and sets seed every three to four years.
(17) Helms 0212 coupe has a total area of 695 hectares and a net area of 486 hectares. The most likely silvicultural treatment will be shelterwood, with smaller patches suitable for release of regeneration (by gap creation) or crop tree release (thinning). Approximately 4,000 cubic metres of 1st and 2nd grade jarrah sawlogs is expected to be harvested. It is also likely that some marri sawlogs will be produced as a consequence of harvesting jarrah sawlogs, however estimates at the coupe level are not available due to the variability of the quality of the marri resource for this product. The commencement date has not been determined.
(18) Maps were provided in response to part (8) of question on notice 3759.
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(b)(i)-(ii) See the answer to part (4) of question on notice 3015.
(iii)-(iv) See the answer to part (5) of question on notice 3015.
(v) Nil
(vi) See the answer to part (6) of question on notice 3015.
(2) See the answer to part (3) of question on notice 3759.
(3)-(4) See the answer to part (2) of question on notice 3759.
(5) Yes
(6) A summer bushfire would have a significantly greater intensity than the prescribed burn and bushfire in spring.
(7) Yes
(8) A summer bushfire would have a significantly greater intensity than the prescribed burn and bushfire in spring.
(9) No monitoring has yet been conducted on the Balston's pygmy perch, western mud minnow and water quality. Priority flora within and adjacent to the burn area have been partially assessed.
(10) The populations of
Chordifex gracilior
(priority 3) and
Hybanthus volubilis
(priority 3) within BS120 were not able to be relocated, and further survey is required during the flowering period to relocate these populations. The priority 1
Darwinia
sp. WhicherRange(M. Spencer 149) was monitored pre-burn and a number of individual plants were tagged, and the population was monitored again in March 2012 and is recovering well post fire. The priority 2
Eucalyptus relicta
population was monitored pre-burn and in March 2012, was 100% burnt and is recovering well post fire. The declared rare fauna
Daviesia elongata
subsp.
elongata
population burnt during the wildfire was monitored in March 2011 and March 2012, and is recovering well post fire. The majority of plants observed were resprouting from rootstock. A number of individual plants were tagged in 2011 and some had flowered in 2012. A small number of seedlings were located in 2012 and were tagged in order to confirm their identity once they reach maturity.
(11) Other work priorities have prevented DEC undertaking monitoring of fish, water quality and some flora species. With regard to fish and water quality, analysis of imagery indicates the vegetation upstream and downstream of the two sites of recorded occurrences of Balston's pygmy perch and western mud minnow as unburnt or having a low burn ratio, such that refuge habitat is likely to have been retained and the potential for sedimentation minimised.
(12)
Acacia tayloriana
and
Astroloma
sp. Nannup (R.D. Royce 3978) - not assessed.
Chordifex gracilior
,
Hybanthus volubilis
and
Eucalyptus relicta
- 100% burnt.
Leptinella drummondii
- this population has not been observed since 1973 and the exact location is not clear, so it is unknown if this population was burnt during BS120.
Darwinia
sp. WhicherRange(M. Spencer 149) - one of the two populations within BS120 was 100% burnt while the other was excluded from the burn.
(13) No
(14) Not applicable
(15) The rehabilitators are continuing to request that the release be postponed.
(16) There is no definitive answer to the question as it is dependent upon the stage of the seed cycle at the time of scorching and the degree of scorch experienced by individual trees. Marri flowers annually and sets seed every three to four years.
(17) Helms 0212 coupe has a total area of 695 hectares and a net area of 486 hectares. The most likely silvicultural treatment will be shelterwood, with smaller patches suitable for release of regeneration (by gap creation) or crop tree release (thinning). Approximately 4,000 cubic metres of 1st and 2nd grade jarrah sawlogs is expected to be harvested. It is also likely that some marri sawlogs will be produced as a consequence of harvesting jarrah sawlogs, however estimates at the coupe level are not available due to the variability of the quality of the marri resource for this product. The commencement date has not been determined.
(18) Maps were provided in response to part (8) of question on notice 3759.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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