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Hi all,
It has been a disastrous autumn for wildlife in the
Portland District with the Government (DEPT of SPARKS & EMBERS) stepping up
their so called fuel reduction burning program. These burns have become
far to frequent to hot and to large and are completely decimating our
wildlife and modifying our forests.
Last week a 400 hectare area was burnt scorched (no different than
a wildfire) in the Cobboboonee State Forest.
Here is the result of dead animals found in one area of 100m
radius:
(128) yes 128 Common Ringtail Possums (major
component of the Powerful Owl's diet in this district)
(2) Black
Wallaby's
(8) Long-nosed Potoroo's (Endangered Species)
Photographic evidence will be published with an article in the Warrnambool
Standard (today) and hopefully the Portland Observer next
week.
The forests here (like everywhere) have suffered in
the past from fragmentation, over logging, ringculling (of the majority of
old trees) and now to frequent burning. The burning results in a lot
of bulldozing of tracks and trees (including some of the few remaining large
trees) also open forest areas are changed eventually resulting in
a forest with a dense understorey. There were large areas of open
forest in this district in the early 1900's.
In the past 25 years I have noted
the alarming decline and contraction in the range of two species
in particular the Spotted Quailthrush and Chestnut-rumped
Heathwren. These ground dwelling specialists do require some open
forest to forage in and in my opinion the affects of frequent
burning (along with predators such as cats and foxes) are the main
contributing factors in their decline.
The DSE to my knowledge (locally anyway) do not
take into consideration these species (no action required) as they are not
endangered, quailthrush is listed as been near threatened and heathwren
vulnerable. There have been nine regional extinction in the Portland
district.
Regards Rob farnes
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