Timing of Anglesea planned burn questioned

SOME residents in Anglesea are concerned about the timing of a planned burn close to their houses, saying it will not only cause “visual pollution” but also be ineffective in restoring the natural landscape.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has defended its approach, saying fire is a critical part of maintaining the area’s ecosystem.

Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) has scheduled an ecological planned burn to be carried out across four hectares of the Nature Lookout Reserve along Anglesea’s coastline within weeks, if weather conditions are favourable.

Melissah Weigall, who lives in nearby Harvey Street, said she and some of her neighbours questioned why the burn would take place just as the Surf Coast opened up and welcomed holidaymakers and tourists from all over the state and beyond.

“As a local resident I am horrified and heartbroken.

“Last year a sensible and sensitive approach was taken to clearing the reserve and reducing the fire risk. The understorey was cleared, noxious weeds were removed, ground weeds were poisoned, natives were planted and the area was mulched.

“Considerable money, time and effort was put into this project, then just as it has started to bounce back, DELWP are going to destroy all of that natural beauty of the heathland by setting it alight.”

Ms Weigall said the reserve was opposite people’s homes in the middle of Anglesea, not on the edge of town or in the surrounding fire-prone bushland.

“A blackened landscape is visual pollution, for residents and tourists alike.

“Burning a reserve that is surrounded by homes has a totally different impact on the residents – the blackened remains are a constant visual when you look outside your window, or sit on your deck or walk past during the day or visit the lookout or when you are out and about driving.”

She said when burnt areas started to regenerate, there was typically a prolific invasion of bracken and other weeds that created a non-indigenous landscape, as evidenced by the results of a burning-off south of Anglesea towards Urquharts Bluff.

“This creates a whole new problem that needs to be addressed.

“After taking a drive to inspect it for ourselves, we were horrified to discover that the area was in reality full of dead, black shrubs and the area was totally overrun with bracken. This is not a successful restoration of coastal heathland.”

FFMVic Otway district manager David Roberts said the agency had been working closely with the Surf Coast Shire and local environmental groups ahead of the burn.

“The upcoming burn is designed to rejuvenate the nature reserve, by reducing invasive weeds and promoting the growth of native orchids and grasses.

“Surveys of the nature reserve have already identified that species such as pallid sun orchid and green leek orchid are being crowded out by invasive weeds, such prickly teatree and sallow wattle.

“Fire is critical to maintaining the health of this ecosystem – without fire, we know that native orchids and grasses will become crowded out and lost.”