Natural Asset Management - November 2012

The field trip provided an opportunity to learn about the post disaster recovery efforts and issues following on from the ‘Black Saturday’ fires.  Rangers from Kinglake National Park provided us with a run down on their ongoing trials and tribulations in managing natural assets after the disaster.  With the exception of the unprecented property loss and human tragedy of the fires, it was striking to see the parallels with the experience of local and regional stakeholders in the north following natural disasters closer to home.  The spread of weeds during clean-up and recovery operations (or responses stimulated by the disaster itself), protection of key and unique natural assets, frustration with funding and the short term nature of resourcing for long term issues were just some of the common threads we were able to discuss. On a logistical note we were able to workshop some shared issues in relation to provision of skilled resources (shadow teams) to relieve  technical staff personally impacted by disasters.  Also highly relevant to the tropical north was the conundrum of natural asset ineligabilty for NDRRA funding and the front-loading of recovery resources for issues which last many years beyond the event.  At the forefront of the experience was the galvanising of the community as a result of the experience with many new partnerships and friendships formed as a result of the disaster and continuing recovery effort.

From left…delegates learn about the some of the issues facing weed managers and the community in the wake of the Black Saturday Fires (left) an infestation of Montpellier and Scottish Broom, one of the new Weeds of National Signficance.

FNQ Pest Advisory Forum

A reminder for those who have not done so to have a look around www.fnqpaf.com.au or subscribe http://www.fnqpaf.com.au/members.html to receive forum meeting invites and keep in touch with the latest alerts and news. Next meeting of the forum will be hosted by Tablelands Regional Council in the southern tablelands in November.

Upcoming events:

FNQ Pest Advisory Forum – November, Atherton Tablelands (TBC)

Natural Asset Managment Advisory Committtee – November, Atherton Tablelands (TBC)

Cape York Peninsula Pest Management Advisory Group -  8-9 November, Coen