Why is native vegetation management important for bushfire safety?
Being prepared for a bushfire is a shared responsibility. The State Government has initiated a range of programs to reduce the risks to life and property posed by bushfire; however private landowners also have a part to play in keeping their property bushfire-ready. The management of fuel loads, including the selective management of native vegetation, is one of many steps landowners can take to prepare their properties for the bushfire season. Across the agricultural regions of the state an estimated 80% of the original cover of native vegetation has been cleared. Much of what remains is fragmented, so there is greater potential for further degradation to do with weed invasion and other actions. Achieving the balance between bushfire protection and managing the remaining areas of native vegetation to avoid further losses in the biodiversity values of an area are important.
