❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) regarding the Layman Ballan BS120 prescribed burn, focusing on discrepancies between stated objectives, actual outcomes, and cost, particularly concerning biodiversity and riparian habitat impact. The Minister deferred the answer.
AnsweredQoN 3784Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Further to question on notice No. 3015 of 2010, regarding prescribed burn Layman Ballan BS120 conducted by the Department of Environment and Conservation in Wiltshire-Butler National Parks in October 2010, I ask -
(1) Given that the burn prescription said that biodiversity management was the primary objective of the burn, why was the purpose of the Layman burn given as strategic protection of the nearby Jalbarragup and Darradup rural housing estates, farming properties, with biodiversity management named as the second objective?
(2) Given that one success criterion was burning between 60 percent and 80 percent of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa was actually burnt?
(3) Given that another success criterion was that no more than 30 percent of the total forested area would be fully crown scorched and that an estimated 70 percent was fully crown scorched, what percentage of the total forested area is now known to have been fully crown scorched?
(4) How can the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) claim that its prescribed burning protects riparian zone habitat, summer refuge habitat for fish and western ringtail possum habitat and food source from high intensity summer bushfires, when its prescribed burn BS120 was in fact a high intensity fire?
(5) How can the DEC claim that BS120 would, ‘protect, maintain and enhance’, biodiversity when it does not know the fire response of seven species of Priority Flora found in the area of the planned burn, namely Acacia tayloriana(P4), Astroloma sp. Nannup(P4), Chordifex gracilior(P3), Hybanthus volubilis(P2), Leptinella drummondii(P2, or Darwiniasp Whicher Range (P1) or Eucalyptus relictatrees (P2)?
(6) How can the DEC budget for its annual prescribed burning program if it does not individually cost planned burns when it did so in the past (a 2006 prescribed burn in Leeuwin Naturaliste National Parks was estimated to cost $22 400 but ended up costing $755 288) or is the budget for the DEC’s annual prescribed burning program unlimited?
(7) What is the cost to date of BS120 and its consequences, including follow-up monitoring and remediation, estimated in December 2010 at $300 000?
(8) Will the Minister please provide satellite and photographic imagery of the burn to show, inter alia, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa was burnt, the amount of full crown scorch and fire intensity in the riparian habitat along the Blackwood River and its tributaries?
(1) Given that the burn prescription said that biodiversity management was the primary objective of the burn, why was the purpose of the Layman burn given as strategic protection of the nearby Jalbarragup and Darradup rural housing estates, farming properties, with biodiversity management named as the second objective?
(2) Given that one success criterion was burning between 60 percent and 80 percent of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa was actually burnt?
(3) Given that another success criterion was that no more than 30 percent of the total forested area would be fully crown scorched and that an estimated 70 percent was fully crown scorched, what percentage of the total forested area is now known to have been fully crown scorched?
(4) How can the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) claim that its prescribed burning protects riparian zone habitat, summer refuge habitat for fish and western ringtail possum habitat and food source from high intensity summer bushfires, when its prescribed burn BS120 was in fact a high intensity fire?
(5) How can the DEC claim that BS120 would, ‘protect, maintain and enhance’, biodiversity when it does not know the fire response of seven species of Priority Flora found in the area of the planned burn, namely Acacia tayloriana(P4), Astroloma sp. Nannup(P4), Chordifex gracilior(P3), Hybanthus volubilis(P2), Leptinella drummondii(P2, or Darwiniasp Whicher Range (P1) or Eucalyptus relictatrees (P2)?
(6) How can the DEC budget for its annual prescribed burning program if it does not individually cost planned burns when it did so in the past (a 2006 prescribed burn in Leeuwin Naturaliste National Parks was estimated to cost $22 400 but ended up costing $755 288) or is the budget for the DEC’s annual prescribed burning program unlimited?
(7) What is the cost to date of BS120 and its consequences, including follow-up monitoring and remediation, estimated in December 2010 at $300 000?
(8) Will the Minister please provide satellite and photographic imagery of the burn to show, inter alia, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonisflexuosa was burnt, the amount of full crown scorch and fire intensity in the riparian habitat along the Blackwood River and its tributaries?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 May 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
42 days
Please refer to Legislative Council Question on Notice 3759.
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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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