According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change late last month, sequestering carbon dioxide is only one of the crucial climate-regulating attributes inherent to the world’s forests.
According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change late last month, sequestering carbon dioxide is only one of the crucial climate-regulating attributes inherent to the world’s forests.
MEDIA RELEASE Safer not to burn at all – govt report Although the IGEM report into the 5% burn target, released in April, didn’t say burning was pointless, its evidence is clear. The $30 million annual bill to carry out burns achieved a 13/48 score for effectiveness in keeping communities safe. “The report also recommended …
Planned burns can be extremely dangerous and difficult to control. Despite trained personnel, investigations and recommendations for improved fire management over the years, fire, weather and poor judgment still causes major disasters. The IGEM report released in May acknowledged the ineffectiveness of large scale burns to protect communities. It recommended alternative risk reduction measures believed …
The controversial hectare based burn target of 5% of public land annually was reviewed earlier this year by the Inspector General of Emergency Management. The findings and recommendations were released in April this year and the government is still to announce if it will adopt the recommendations. The report looked into many aspects of the …
EEG’s fourth Court case challenging the government’s non-adherence to its own environment laws has been settled (17.7.15). This time it was for the owls. EEG, DELWP and VicForests have agreed that the environment department (DELWP) take action to adhere to legal obligations and increase owl protected areas as well as assess the damage done to …
The Royal Commission recommended burns to over 5% of our natural landscape annually have finally been shown to be a waste of time, money and horrifically damaging to our biodiversity. The recent review of the burn targets used 12 criteria to measure how effective the blunt hectare-based target is compared to the proposed risk-reduction target. …
Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked with brain shrinkage. Not surprisingly, a US study shows that with only a small increase in fine particulate matter pollution (known as PM2.5) a clear association was evident of brain damage linked to impaired cognitive function. Anyone who had to endure the Morwell mine fire smoke, or the …
In 2011, a downed power line sparked the massive Las Conchas wildfire that roared through homes and scorched 156,000 acres of forest in the Jemez Mountains. And that was just the beginning of the damage. In the weeks that followed, rains washed tons of ash and sediment off the blistered slopes into the Rio Grande, …
The $1.5 million grant to trail logging as a means of bushfire mitigation by the Abbott Government is a suspicious attempt to dress up fire control as another logging industry subsidy, says a regional conservation group. Environment East Gippsland says that the Australian Forests Products Association has been lobbying for this for a long time. …
A NEW method of fuel reduction, physically removing trees, shrubs and undergrowth on public land, will be trialled across Victoria as part of bushfire prevention. “Mechanical fuel reduction” is widely used in the US and Canada as a move away from solely relying on burning off during winter. Prime Minister Tony Abb¬≠ott last week announced …
Fire profoundly influences human health, the economy and wildlife. In Victoria, for instance, bushfires have burned more than one million hectares since 2009, claiming 178 lives and more than 2,300 homes, and causing more than A$4 billion in social, economic and environmental costs. Reducing fire risk is a global issue, as highlighted by recent devastating …
