Now clearing schools!
Hi all, I have just heard today that many schools in our region are to have vegetation clearing done within 2 weeks (over the holidays) as the schools have had buildings designated by the government as fire refuges. Please see below my comments to our principal at Badger Creek about this. I urge you all to check for any schools in your area, and find out the details of any clearing. All of us living in fire prone areas, especially the landcare networkers, are very much aware of our risks and do not want to see wholesale removal of vegetation for no good reason, as this can often cause more of a risk than prevent it, we have no details of who did the vegetation assessments and what clearing will take place.
Regards, Karen.
Karen Garth
Eco-Adventure Tours
PO Box 542, Healesville, 3777
Victoria, Australia
Ph/fax: 03 5962 5115 Mobile: 0418 999 936
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From: Karen Garth [mailto:brian.garth@bigpond.com]
Sent: Friday, 11 September 2009 4:10 PM
To: 'Brisbane, Mark J'
Subject: Fire refuge info needed
Sent: Friday, 11 September 2009 4:10 PM
To: 'Brisbane, Mark J'
Subject: Fire refuge info needed
Hi Mark, I have been sent some info today re the clearing in schools for the fire refuges. Although you rang me this morning and said trees within 15 metres of the gym, and over 2 m high, are to be removed, I’ve been told that vegetation up to 40 metres may go.
If this is true, it is not acceptable, and we need to have an urgent B&G meeting about this next week. Why can the area around the gym be cleared up to 15/40 m when the state government’s new laws for houses is 10/30m anyway? Where is the science behind the education department’s position.
Apparently the document I have attached from the department says many schools have had engineering and vegetation assessments done – are these assessments in writing, and if so, we need to see those documents asap and we need to meet with whoever is doing this work. We should not go ahead until we see what the assessments have said re the vegetation in writing. The Education Department is all ready to go ahead with this over the holidays ie one week away, and this is a clever ploy as it gives us little time to notify parents & the community, and definitely looks like the dept is being sneaky.
After all of our hard work building up the vegetation in the grounds, and having had to lose at least 3 trees for the new building works, we need to be very sure we are not being duped by the dept on behalf of the state government in an attempt to use peoples’ fear about fire to cause unnecessary vegetation clearing. Some of these trees at the front of the gym were also to provide shade for our Bush Tucker Garden, as many of the plants we were to put live in shady situations. Dr Greg Moore, the botanist the landcare group had speak in August about Bushfires and Native Vegetation, is the sort of person who would have the knowledge to assess the vegetation around schools….who did the department use, and what are their qualifications? As discussed this am, if the clearing is only up to 15 m and trees over 2m, most of the trees in this area are not indigenous, and were planted when the school was built. However, there is one tree on the basketball side of the gym outside the Music Room which we need to check as to its species, in case it is a Scentbark. I’d also like advise from someone as expert as Greg Moore before any trees are taken out. Could you please send this urgently to all of the B&G committee?
Regards, Karen.
Karen Garth
Eco-Adventure Tours
PO Box 542, Healesville, 3777
Victoria, Australia
Ph/fax: 03 5962 5115 Mobile: 0418 999 936
Gift Vouchers available for Special Occasions!
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Comments
Trees clearing in Tecoma/Belgrave South
Tecoma primary school and Belgrave South Primary School both have had mature gums removed from the vicinity of their school halls, yet pine trees and sweet pittostorum have been left standing.
The pattern, or the aim, seems to be to remove large gum trees only, as these are seen as the one and only threat in the event of fires.
I attended Fire Guard meetings after Black Saturday and the CFA clearly stated that fires arrive at ground level and removing the "ladder" of vegetation from beneath large trees in order to stop flames reaching the upper branches of the tree is what is required, not the complete removal of the tree.
Also, there are property owners who are cutting down tall gums and piling logs up along their fence line - there is one such property in Colby Dve in Belgrave South where there is a mountain of fire wood stacked in the front yard.
It is difficult to see how this sort of practise provides a safer environment than what there was prior to the introduction of the 10/30 laws.
clearing at schools
To add to this discussion, it is my understanding that many schools on Mt Dandenong have had designated fire refuges for a long time, possibly since Ash Wednesday or even before. What has happened post Black Saturday, is that the Education Dept. has commissioned a review of all operational fire refuges, to determine what upgrades need to be made to structures, etc to bring them up to 'standard'. This has included a review of vegetation around fire refuges.
I understand this review has turned up some scary stuff - fire refuges with one access door, made out of timber, for example - but it would be concerning if fuel load recomendations were being made by individuals whose primary expertise is in built structures. I also believe that all recommendations made that are characterised as 'high' importance, will be carried out before the start of this fire season.
clearing at schools
Badger Creek PS
Emerald SC
Olinda PS
Belgrave South PS
Ferny Creek PS
Sassafras PS
Birmingham PS
Gladysdale PS
Selby PS
Christmas Hills PS
Kallista PS
Tecoma PS
Chum Creek PS
Macclesfield PS
The Patch PS
Cockatoo PS
Menzies Creek PS
Toolangi PS
Dixons Creek PS
Monbulk PS
Upwey South PS
Don Valley PS
Mt Dandenong PS
Wesburn PS
Emerald PS
Mt Evelyn PS
Panton Hills PS (NMR)
Billanook PS
Millwarra PS (Millgrove)
Sherbrooke CS
Millwarra PS (Warburton East)
Monbulk College
Warburton PS
As tree removal is often a contentious issue in our communities, Operations Unit is planning a communications strategy for advising school communities, their neighbourhoods and Shires. Documents are being prepared for inclusion in the school newsletter and also a neighbourhood letter drop. They will provide an explanation of what has occurred to instigate the intended works at the schools. Statewide Operations are communicating with relevant Local Government Agencies. Statewide Operations has requested that schools facilitate the neighbourhood letter box drop. This may require discussion at Thursday’s meeting.
As part of its state-wide planning strategy, DEECD’s Operations Unit has requested EMR to facilitate a briefing session for Principals of the 33 schools.
A further 7 schools have been identified as requiring significant works and will be the subject of an upcoming ERC bid (once reports are received confirming the scope of works and associated cost estimates).
This is an extract of information sent to schools regarding vegetation clearance. I wonder as parents, when we will be told the extent of the clearance required. If your school is on the list I suggest you contact your school principal who hopefully can provide more detail of exactly what trees and understorey will be removed. The briefing for Principals was last Thursday (10th).
"Following our bushfire experience at the beginning of 2009, DEECD’s Statewide Operations Unit organised, based on fire refuge audits conducted at schools by bushfire risk engineering experts, a vegetation assessment of the audited schools.
The assessment identified 27 schools where vegetation removal is necessary. This will occur during the September 2009 school holidays:
The chainsaws have started
The chainsaws have been in action at Belgrave South and Kallista Primary School this morning. Apparently 4 apple trees are due to be cut down at The Patch primary. This is vandalism and madness in the extreme!
Tecoma Cleared!
I took a look at Tecoma Primary School Yesterday and I was in absolute shock, they cut down this massive old gum- must have only just been in the cut down zone, I looked at it before the holidays and thought it had to be as old as the school. Just cant believe they cut it down, so the children are guarenteed safe now, but wait the school is made of wood, best remove that as well and hope that the principle goes with it. Now he'll have to pay for another shade sail. Just absolute madness. What can be done, how can they get away with this?? I'm disgusted!