Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Public Land Firewood Strategy must be practical

Source: Sykes media release
“The proposed new Victorian Firewood Strategy for Public Land must remove impractical and unnecessary restrictions imposed on firewood collection by the Brumby Government in recent years,” Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes said this week.

In a statement issued by the Brumby Government, Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the development of a new statewide strategy would;
  1. ensure firewood collection from public land has a sustainable future
  2. that people could conveniently access firewood
  3. ensure an efficient and practical system for the pricing and distribution for commercial and non-commercial firewood sourced from public land
  4. review the firewood sales system and make it easier to purchase licenses and permits
  5. consider better ways to manage the collection of firewood from roadside reserves; and
  6. consider the impacts on the environment, particularly the value fallen trees and branches hold as habitat for native species
The Victorian Firewood Strategy for Public Land is to be developed in collaboration with firewood managers, representatives of interest groups (government and other organisations). Firewood collectors and users and the broader public will be given an opportunity to input and identify issues during the development of the strategy. It is proposed a discussion paper will be released before the end of June for public comment and that the strategy will be completed by the end of 2009.

“I never cease to be amazed by the lack of forward thinking in relation to this issue,” Bill Sykes said. “The State Government proposed a Victorian Firewood Strategy back in 2002 and produced a discussion paper, with regional strategies developed within the North East and Bendigo regions. The outcome has been the implementation of impractical and unnecessary restrictions which should never have been enacted in the first place,” Bill Sykes continued. “Now this new strategy is looking at ways to address shortfalls in the current system.”

“One of the biggest issues raised in the aftermath of Black Saturday is fuel load reduction along roadsides. My office has received copies of a lot of submissions to the Bushfire Royal Commission from many areas of the Benalla Electorate and beyond, including Marysville, Goughs Bay, Mt Beauty, Boho, Tawonga, Lima East, Euroa, Strathbogie (and I could go on) – which identify major concerns with the lack roadside clearing in relation to fire safety,” Bill Sykes said.

“It is vitally important the statewide strategy provides a no-nonsense means of accessing wood from public land including roadsides,” he concluded.

For more information on the Victorian Firewood Strategy for Public Land visit www.dse.vic.gov.au or call 136 186 or email firestrat.publicland@dse.vic.gov.au.

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