❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) regarding the Layman Ballan BS120 prescribed burn, raising concerns about its objectives, success criteria, environmental impact, and cost. The Minister's response provides clarifications and data, acknowledging some deviations from planned outcomes.
AnsweredQoN 3759Legislative 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 (DEC) 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 Agonis flexuosa, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonis flexuosa 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 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 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), Chordifexgracilior (P3), Hybanthusvolubilis (P2), Leptinelladrummondii (P2, or DarwiniaspWhicher Range (P1) or Eucalyptus relicta trees (P2) ?
(6) How can 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 Natuarliste National Parks was estimated to cost $22,400 but ended up costing $755,288), or is the budget for 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 Agonis flexuosa 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 Agonis flexuosa, what percentage of the riparian and forest areas of Agonis flexuosa 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 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 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), Chordifexgracilior (P3), Hybanthusvolubilis (P2), Leptinelladrummondii (P2, or DarwiniaspWhicher Range (P1) or Eucalyptus relicta trees (P2) ?
(6) How can 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 Natuarliste National Parks was estimated to cost $22,400 but ended up costing $755,288), or is the budget for 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 Agonis flexuosa 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
54 days
(1) Biodiversity management was both the primary purpose and the primary objective. Strategic protection was the secondary purpose and objective.
(2) An analysis of satellite imagery shows a significant portion of the BlackwoodRiversystem as being burnt with mild fire intensity. A subsequent ground survey has confirmed that more than 90% of the BlackwoodRiverriparian area containing
Agonis flexuosa
has been burnt with 19 of the 30 sample sites displaying scorch levels less than 20% of tree height.
(3) Remote sensing imagery has indicated that approximately 65% of the burnt area has been fully crown scorched.
(4) The intensity of the Layman prescribed burn did not meet the success criteria for scorch and burn patchiness. The burn is one of a number of burns on the department's annual burn program aiming to provide protection outcomes. The burn program as a whole achieves mild fire behaviour levels and patchiness and affords protection from summer bushfires.
Although the intensity of the Layman burn was greater than expected, the low lying Blackwood River system has been subjected to mostly mild fire intensities which are expected to have little impact on the western ringtail possum and fish habitat. This portion of the BlackwoodRiveris now afforded effective protection from summer bushfires for the next six to eight years.
(5) DEC completed an assessment of the priority flora species as part of the pre-burn planning process. The assessment confirmed that there are a number of populations of the species providing representation outside of the burn area. As the fire response of these species was not known, DEC applied adaptive management principles which included establishing monitoring plots for
Eucalyptus relicta
and
Darwinia sp.
Results of this monitoring will assist future management of these species.
(6) Each DEC district is provided with an annual prescribed burning budget, and is then required to manage this budget allocation to achieve the best possible prescribed burning results in accordance with the master burn plan.
(7) The total cost of the Layman burn and its consequences as at the end of February was $618,618.
This cost includes $544,244 allocated against bushfire suppression and $74,374 allocated against the prescribed burn.
(8) The following maps are contained within [see tabled paper no]:
i. Overview map;
ii. Topographical map;
iii. Orthophoto map;
iv. Remote sensing satellite image analysis map; and
v. Field sample map.
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
(2) An analysis of satellite imagery shows a significant portion of the BlackwoodRiversystem as being burnt with mild fire intensity. A subsequent ground survey has confirmed that more than 90% of the BlackwoodRiverriparian area containing
Agonis flexuosa
has been burnt with 19 of the 30 sample sites displaying scorch levels less than 20% of tree height.
(3) Remote sensing imagery has indicated that approximately 65% of the burnt area has been fully crown scorched.
(4) The intensity of the Layman prescribed burn did not meet the success criteria for scorch and burn patchiness. The burn is one of a number of burns on the department's annual burn program aiming to provide protection outcomes. The burn program as a whole achieves mild fire behaviour levels and patchiness and affords protection from summer bushfires.
Although the intensity of the Layman burn was greater than expected, the low lying Blackwood River system has been subjected to mostly mild fire intensities which are expected to have little impact on the western ringtail possum and fish habitat. This portion of the BlackwoodRiveris now afforded effective protection from summer bushfires for the next six to eight years.
(5) DEC completed an assessment of the priority flora species as part of the pre-burn planning process. The assessment confirmed that there are a number of populations of the species providing representation outside of the burn area. As the fire response of these species was not known, DEC applied adaptive management principles which included establishing monitoring plots for
Eucalyptus relicta
and
Darwinia sp.
Results of this monitoring will assist future management of these species.
(6) Each DEC district is provided with an annual prescribed burning budget, and is then required to manage this budget allocation to achieve the best possible prescribed burning results in accordance with the master burn plan.
(7) The total cost of the Layman burn and its consequences as at the end of February was $618,618.
This cost includes $544,244 allocated against bushfire suppression and $74,374 allocated against the prescribed burn.
(8) The following maps are contained within [see tabled paper no]:
i. Overview map;
ii. Topographical map;
iii. Orthophoto map;
iv. Remote sensing satellite image analysis map; and
v. Field sample map.
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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