Focus on Feathers - Fire to Flourish
The Focus on Feathers Landcare group were supported through GBLC through Fire to Flourish funding to help plan and prepare for bushfires to protect the Bird Sanctuary on the Sunnyside Loop Road TSR.
The team completed their project within record time, and prepared the following speech for their presentation at the Annual General Meeting in June, on their feelings around the project:
This Evening we would like to share with you the emotions of the Focus on Feathers members have experienced in the lead up to and the implementation of the Fire to Flourish Grants.
· Fearful – was the first emotion during the bushfires of late October and early November 2023. Is the Focus to Feathers site still there? At first we didn’t know, as we were concentrating on fires around our own properties or assisting others who were being impacted during this time. We were fearful that the site would be obliterated due to the dry ground covers and shrubs at the site and being in the direct line of the Sunnyside fires approach.
· Relief – the feeling that we all felt when we heard that the fires didn’t reach the site on Sunnyside Loop Road. When thousands of acres of land had been burnt to the west of the site, it was assumed that all would be lost. So alas we were very relieved when we received the news that the fire was stopped before it reached the site, just. When visiting the block a couple of days later, we could see the burnt blackened landscape that was extinguished approximately 100 metres from the Focus on Feathers boundary, definitely too close for comfort. We were so very thankful that some quick thinking locals and the RFS had stopped it before it reached the Focus on Feathers block.
By doing so they not only saved homes and infrastructure but they also saved the habitat for many species of birds and wildlife. Fortunately, the fire being stopped where it was, gave the birds that were nesting at the site a chance of survival.
· Planning Ahead - Thinking how do we mitigate the risk of major damage due to fire? - Considering the fuel load, particularly lovegrass and other vegetation that surrounds the site, and the vegetation within the block itself, including shrubs and native grasses, we had to come up with a plan to give us some protection from future fires. Luckily Fire to Flourish grants were advertised and upon securing a grant this allowed us to purchase a variety of fire fighting and maintenance equipment and the construction of safe storage for the equipment enabling us to plan ahead for fires.
The grant funding not only gives us the capacity to be reactive in the event of a fire but also proactive in attempting to lessen the fuel load and diminish the effects of a ferocious fire through maintenance and control of the fuel load.
· Being proactive with the equipment we acquired gives us a fighting chance against fire by being able to keep down vegetation. The equipment also gives us the ability to quickly put out spot fires, if the need arises, thus it becomes also beneficial for both fauna and flora.
· The equipment gives us the ability to assist neighbours also in the event of a fire which benefits the community around the site which is growing rather quickly.
· Not only do we have some threatened bird species inhabiting the site such as the Diamond Firetail Finch, Speckled Warbler, Turks parrots etc but also some unusual plants such as the Pin Cushion Hakea growing at the site.
· Thankful – We are very grateful for the funding our group has received and we would like to thank the Fire to Flourish Grant Committee for the funding that gives us the capability to keep the site going into the future with the risk of bush fire damage very much lessened, which is vital to the continuation of the site. Thankyou also to Landcare, particularly Kat, for their assistance with the grant.
· Confidence – We are now confident that with the equipment provided by the Fire to Flourish funding as the site will go forward in the future with a well maintained and fire ready grounds and infrastructure.
