We need your help to prevent an imminent and terribly ill-conceived planned burn that will impact greater gliders near Kinglake.

We've been surveying for endangered greater gliders and hollow-bearing trees in a beautiful, varied patch of forest in Mt Robertson Rd, Kinglake. In one evening, 13 gliders were detected. Numerous habitat trees with good hollows suggest that many more live here, as well as providing crucial habitat for all sorts of hollow-dependent species.

In addition, many habitat trees with fire scarring near their base from 2009 (Black Saturday) were recorded. These scarred trees become more liable to collapse with each subsequent fire.

Forest Fire Management Vic has just announced they are going to burn this very patch of forest within the next few days.

The following information comes from Kinglake Friends of the Forest.

Here are some reasons that burning HR-MUR-TLG-0008 is a bad idea. 

1/ We are appalled to think of the impact that this unnecessary fire will have on the resident gliders, other wildlife and flora and on the older trees that survived the last fire because  of: 

• the immediate effects of the fire and smoke
• loss of food supply for gliders as a result of canopy scorch
• collapse of den trees 
• the increase in fire risk in years to come because of the pulse of shrubs that will grow after the burn

2/ We need to listen to the research that tells us that forests need to be protected from fire until they reach maturity when they are least flammable – estimated to be about 4 years from now in Kinglake.

3/ We can suppress fire using the rapid detection technology that is available now. Thermal and heat sensing cameras can pick up fires kilometres away if installed in towers at optimum sight distance locations. We need to ensure we have trained remote area firefighters.

What can you do?

We (and the gliders) would love you to ring or write to any or all of the following, citing burn HR-MUR-TLG-0008. 

If you ring you'll want to keep it pretty short. You'll probably just speak to someone from admin so make sure you ask that they pass on your message.

If you write, you could just copy and paste points 1-3, if you don't want to write your own. Maybe change the wording a bit if you can. 

The Hon. Steve Dimopoulos, Minister for Environment    tel: 03 862 43101, email:  [email protected] 

Tom Goldstraw, Senior Forest & Fire Management Officer – Fuel Management– Murrindindi District  [email protected]

Chris Hardman  Chief Fire Officer | Lead Executive, Forest and Fire Operations Division, DEECA   [email protected]

The Hon Jacinta Allan  Premier of Victoria tel: 03 96515000  [email protected]

The photo posted above was taken within the burn footprint of HR-MUR-TLG-0008.

Sign the petition here to stop senseless planned burns