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An enthusiastic group of landowners met recently at Wiangaree Hall near Kyogle to support a plan to undertake prescribed control fire management on their properties in the lower Lynch and Collins Creek area that surround the Helmet Ridge.

The meeting was organised by North Coast Local Land Services (LLS) – with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and the NSW Government’s Catchment Action NSW – in partnership with the NSW Nature Conservation Council – Firesticks project. Supporting the event were representatives from NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), Office of Environment & Heritage (OEH), local Landcare and consultant fire ecologists and practitioners.

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David Charley delivered a presentation about the Eastern Bristle Bird, a threatened species found on the Helmet range. Ron Randall CEO from Gugin Guddaba LALC and David Charley discuss the project.

Ron Randall, the CEO of the Gugin Gudduba Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC), who are one of the landowners on the Helmet Range said:

“‘It was very heartening to be involved in the event and to share our cultural heritage knowledge and connection to the land on the Helmet. We are currently doing on-ground work and cultural fire planning on our land with support under a partnership project with North Coast Local Land Services and the NCC Firesticks project.”

Neighbours were very interested and engaged in the planning process. Dr Elizabeth Tasker, Principal Scientist Fire Ecology from OEH shared some new vegetation maps being developed for the area.

Landowners were very supportive of more fire management and control burning on their properties to both help control wildfires and to improve the health of the native forest on the Helmet Range. John Watkins, a long-term resident of Collins Creek said he and his neighbours are keen to get behind a regional fire plan to manage fire in a strategic, safe and effective manner on properties surrounding the Helmet.

“I’d be happy to support the various government organisations and work together to undertake more frequent prescribed burning over the next few years. I’ve seen the forest degrade with lack of fire during my lifetime, we need fire back in the landscape to help control weeds, turn around forest dieback and support local wildlife that depend on fire.” John Watkins.

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Neighbouring property owners are very interested in applying fire to the landscape again. They were very generous in sharing their knowledge of the area.

John Nagle, Senior Land Services Officer with North Coast Local Land Services who facilitated the day, was delighted to see the number of landowners who participated and how keen they were to share their knowledge of the different areas on the Helmet, the past fire history and express their support a long-term fire management program.

“It was very rewarding to see such enthusiasm in the hall, hear first-hand from landowners and see initial planning unfolding on property and landscape base maps. The presentations from the fire ecologist and practitioners that outlined evidence that fire supports positive environment outcomes further underpinned landowner observations and experience,” John said.

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Access to the Helmet range is difficult, Grant Gibson assisted in making the trip a little shorter and easier with his all terrain vehicle.

Firesticks Program Coordinator Richard Brittingham added:

“It was fantastic to see a range of landholders coming together with a shared understanding of the need for good planning and collaboration to improve opportunities for appropriate fire management across the broader landscape. In considering and exploring fire management beyond individual property boundaries, landholders are able to better understand and appreciate the positive and negative impacts of fire on a range of values including habitat for threatened species and areas of cultural significance.”

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A small group ascended the Helmet range after the meeting to do an assessment of a potential Hazard Reduction burn site on adjacent neighbouring property to the Gugin Guddaba LALC. From Left to Right: Zoe Stone- University of Queensland, Matt Ferguson- Fireland Consultancy, Lyn Baker- OEH, Grant Gibson- Lantana Master, John Nagle- LLS, Dr. Elizabeth Tasker- OEH, Sian Hromek- NCC Firesticks.

Richard concluded, “This shared understanding and cooperative approach can assist communities to come together, reduce fear of litigation, learn from one another and be proactive in planning towards and implementing prescribed burns.”

With additional planning and resourcing the Helmet Ridge Working Group, along with the local landowners, hope to commence prescribed burning in the cooler months next year if conditions are favourable to burn and begin to achieve a mosaic of fire managed zones on the Helmet over the next few years.

For more information on the NCC Firesticks Project, Hotspots Program and Bushfire Program go to https://www.nature.org.au/healthy-ecosystems/

The meeting was delivered by North Coast Local Land Services with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and NSW Government Catchment Action NSW.