I would like to post the following on behalf of Geoff Robertson, President of Friends of Grasslands, in response to a comment made on the list about the danger of the proximity of housing to the grassland in Dunlop:
Yes there is a great Grassland Reserve in Dunlop an important part of Canberra Natural Temperate Grassland (NTG) Reserves. NTG are a threatened ecological community and very little of its former area remains. Information about NTG in the ACT, their flora and fauna, and their management may be found in the Action Plan for NTG (Action Plan No. 28) published by the ACT Government and is on the TaMS website: http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/13016/actionplan28visionandcontents.pdf
While the grasses may be a threat to the houses that surround them, the grasslands are more threatened by the nearness of humans, their animals etc.
It is a great pity that a better buffer zone was not created around the grasslands, thus providing better protection for the grasslands and their neighbours. The ACT Govt now has a better buffer policy than when the Dunlop Reserve was created.
Fire would pose little threat to the surrounding houses. Property management of the grasslands require that the grasses and wildflowers be allowed to grow and seed, but at certain times, removal of biomass is equally important. This would also be part of their management. The ACT fire managers would also be very conscious of fire issues and have plans in place to deal with threats.
Living next to a grassland would be little different from living near any bushland.
Janet Russell
