News
Page 12 The Moorabool News – 15 February, 2022
Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au
DOMESTIC FIREWOOD COLLECTION RESTRICTIONS FOR STATE FORESTS IN CENTRAL VICTORIA FIREWOOD COLLECTION RESTRICTIONS
Ouyen
Domestic firewood collection from state forests within the yellow boundary on the map is restricted to local residents from the following Local Government Areas (shaded on the map)
NSW
Swan Hill
Kerang
GANNAWARRA
Cohuna
BULOKE
Yarrawonga
Birchip Wycheproof
Numurkah
Echuca
Shires: • Buloke • Campaspe • Central Goldfields • Gannawarra • Greater Bendigo • Greater Shepparton • Hepburn • Loddon • Macedon Ranges • Mitchell • Mt Alexander Rutherglen • Northern Grampians • Pyrenees Wodonga • Strathbogie Tallangatta
Warracknabeal
Firewood collectors may be asked to prove their address when collecting firewood. Firewood may
Kyabram
CAMPASPE
Wedderburn LODDON
Wangaratta Beechworth only be collected from designated firewood
collection areas within Firewood Collection Seasons
GREATER SHEPPARTON
Dimboola
Tatura Benalla
Inglewood Saint Arnaud Horsham
Locality Map Bright
Whitfield
STRATHBOGIE
N NS SW W
Swan Hill
Wodonga Shepparton
Maldon Stawell
Mildura
Euroa
Bendigo
GREATER BENDIGO
Dunolly
NORTHERN GRAMPIANS
Myrtleford
Violet Town
CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS Avoca
Seymour
Horsham
Mansfield
MOUNT ALEXANDER MITCHELL
Bendigo
Omeo
Ballarat
Alexandra
Melbourne Geelong Portland
Kilmore
Ararat
PYRENEES
HEPBURN
Beaufort
0
Healesville Lilydale
Hamilton
.
Legend
Sunbury Bacchus Marsh Melton
Skipton
Melbourne
12.5
25
50
75
Kilometers 100
Dandenong Cressy
Domestic Firewood Collection Restrictions Apply in this area Local Government Areas
Parks and Reserves State Forest
Werribee
Penshurst
Bairnsdale Traralgon
Warrnambool
MACEDON RANGES Gisborne
Ballarat
Wangaratta
Bairnsdale
Other PublicMaffra Land
New firewood collection area rules
Moorabool residents are being advised that changes to firewood collection regulations on public land in Central Victoria take effect on Tuesday 1 March 2022, to help preserve local firewood resources for the future. Under the new changes, firewood collection from designated areas in state forests within parts of Central Victoria, will be restricted to residents of specific local shires only. Visitors from the Grampians region and other parts of Victoria will no longer be able to access firewood from state forests in Central Victoria. They will still be able to collect firewood from designated collection areas within their own region. Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) Forest Planning team leader Amy Groch said the changes will maintain a more sustainable domestic firewood supply for local residents in Central Victoria. “While firewood is free to collect, supply is not unlimited. This means firewood needs to be managed responsibly to ensure environmental sustainability,” Ms Groch said. “These changes aim to ensure that local communities gain greater access to the available firewood this autumn in preparation for winter.
“We want to remind the community that firewood can only be taken from designated collection areas in state forests or parks during approved collection seasons, in Autumn from 1 March to 30 June and Spring from 1 September to 30 November. “Designated collection areas are selected for a range of reasons including the availability of firewood, community safety, and to protect sites of cultural and environmental significance.” The permitted Local Government Areas who will have access to firewood from Central Victorian state forests are Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Gannawarra, Hepburn, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mitchell, Mt Alexander, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees and Strathbogie Shire Councils; City of Greater Bendigo, and Greater Shepparton A list of the Central Victorian state forests with the new restrictions can be found at www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood Firewood collectors may be asked to prove their address when collecting firewood. An interactive map of designated firewood collection area locations available to Grampians residents will be available on Tuesday 1 March until 30 June at www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood
Boost to tackle established pest and weeds On-ground management of problematic pests and weeds will see a significant boost through an Australian Government investment of $20 million, matched by state and territory governments, to maximise reduction and prevention activities across the country. Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said pest animals and weeds pose a significant threat to Australia’s primary production, environment and biodiversity. “Pests and weeds are a huge and growing problem for Australia’s agriculture and environment,” Minister Littleproud said. “Projects will reduce the overall burden of pests and weeds through activities such as coordinated control, destruction and removal, including trapping, baiting and culling along with biological control release.” Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson said a reduction of pest animals and weeds will lead to more productive and profitable industries and benefit native wildlife and the environment. “Projects will target nationally significant pest and weed species, such as feral deer, feral pigs, cats, foxes, rabbits, wild dogs and a range of invasive weeds across identified hot spots.” For more information go to www.awe.gov.au and search pest animals and weeds.
FAST FACTS • This funding expands on the $29.1 million Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program (2021-22 to 2024-25) to deliver better solutions to combat established pest animals and weeds. The total program funding is now $49.1 million. • The Australian Government investment in established pest animal and weed management programs is more than $330 million since 2015 (2014-15 to 2024-25). • Nationally, the annual cost of established vertebrate pest animals is estimated to be $800 million and over $4 billion for weeds in terms of production losses and control activities. The cost to the environment hasn’t been calculated but is likely to be higher. • A 2019 ABARES survey found land managers spent an average of $8,189 annually on pest animal management, up from $7,304 in 2016.
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