Vandalism & Fire East Kimberley Kununurra

absalutly it changes the ecology.
some examples are the Adelaide plains which were overburnt until no trees were left
and large parts of the pilbarra which has now been mostly overtaken by very easy to burn and regenerate spinifex
rainforest as well used to cover much larger parts of australia but doesnt regenerate after burning

While many australian trees do have a very high tolerance to burning they do have limits and even within these limmits some species are more tolerant than others so continual burning selectivly changes the ecology

get outmore.....please come and talk to the DEC here in WA (Prescribed Burns - Department of Environment and Conservation) obviously they do not have your infinte wisdom and scientific knowledge about these issues.

Over here they just burn and burn and burn......and they dont care when they do it....talk to those in Margaret River who lost their homes last season.

Hi Bob from Qld
Talk to the locals up here.
These fires are burning the same country year after year, some species are being lost, the larger trees cannot with stand fire after fire & any regeneration is destroyed. Fire fighters cannot control fires in this area. The fires are being lit by arsonists who are untouchable. It will still be here in my life time but for the future who knows. It is a bit like the rubbish, it flows in to the rivers because some can sit around all day, drink, eat takeaway, then just get up & go.

It gives me the irrits

Daz

Member - Redbakk (WA) posted:


prescribed burns have nothing to do with what i was talking about.

they are done to protect property ultimatley while im talking about the natural ecology

if you want to see what over burning does locally take a look at somewhere like gooseberry hill NP which gets frequent burnings by firebugs

Hullo Val

If you haven't read it already, I reckon you would be very interested in a new book by Bill Gammage called "The Biggest Estate on Earth - how Aborigines made Australia".

Bill is an historian and adjunct prof at ANU and is widely acclaimed as an expert in this field. With some 320 pages plus another 100 pages of appendixes and references, it is not a quick read.

I bought it at the Namadji Visitor Centre and have found it fascinating reading and have now a far greater appreciation of the deep understanding Aborigines had of the highly selective and systematic use of fire to manage vegetation type, growth and location.

It is now very hard to get - a short print run I guess. I got a copy to give to a friend (another acknowledged expert in this area) and ended up buying it from Amazon, something I normally try to avoid as I prefer to support local bookshops.

Cheers
Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for bringing that book to my attention - it certainly looks interesting and I will try to find a copy. Just reading some of the commentary about the books is interesting - about 15-20 years ago when I was quite heavily involved with landcare etc the idea that many of our dense sclerophyll forests only formed after colonisation were just beginning to emerge but were generally "poo-pooed" by those who "knew best", despite the well documented evidence from the pilliga scrub. Well its good to see good research being welcomed. Question is, how long will it take us, collectively, to learn the important lessons.

I see that you are in Canberra - bit chilly here today!

Cheers,

Val

Hullo Val
Chillly indeed Apparent temp at Mt Lofty is about 5C ;-)
We were at Namadji in March.
As to learning important lessons. Hmmmm.... lemmings have been going over the cliff for a long time! :-) And they are not even driven by greed!
Cheers
Andrew
PS Have enjoyed your blogs on the Lake District - many memories from long ago

Hi Andrew,

Yes good point re lemmings! We really are a collective bunch of slow learners.
Glad you liked the blogs - I enjoy writing them, as its a good way for us to remember our trips. Happy to share with others.

Cheers,

Val.

You really have no idea what your talking about. Go back to your concret jungle.

For your info nick I live in Arnhem ;and and have done so for 16 years. 3 years in Darwin. Have lived in Aboriginal communities, know many as good friends and have probably seen more of the outback than you ever will.

Maybe hundreds of years ago , as a nomadic race this was a necessity for living.
Not now.

Go back to your dreaming mate.

Phil
This is nothing to do with their heritage, In the long time ago they would burn the land then move on. Today they are desecrating the land to stuff it up for everyone as they have no respect for themselves nor anyone else.

Daz

I'm with you Daz, on the no respect etc.

But our legislators have given them the right and don't want to be seen to be anti by fine tuning things. Sadly in the future I don't see things 'better'

Thanks for raising the point in the first place. You've had some interesting responses and its a shame some people need to play the man.

cheers