Distribution of habitat groups in Victoria prior to 1750

Current distribution of habitat groups in Victoria

THE STATE OF THE STATE• One third of the world’s mammal extinctions since

1600AD have been in Australia • Victoria is the most cleared state 50%-70% gone. On

private land 80% - 90% [1]• 44% of native plants and 30% animals extinct or

threatened [2]• 78% of bushland types threatened [3] • 75% of our waterways degraded and 35% of our

wetlands totally lost [4][1] National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2002. Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002. SOE 2008[2] CSIRO, 2004, Environmental Sustainability Issues Analysis for Victoria, SOE 2008[3] Traill and Porter, 2001, Nature Conservation Review Victoria 2001, VNPA[4] Vic Catchment Management Council. 2002. The Health of Our Catchments: A Victorian Report Card (p.32)

Based on DSE map, 2009

Royal Commission target (to scale of map)390,000 ha/year

FIRE Hectares Treated

0

300,000

600,000

900,000

1,200,000

1,500,000

Year

Hec

tare

s Future annual fuel reduction target: 390,000 ha

Fuel reduction burns

Bushfires

Figures from annual reports tabled in Parliament

Fuel Reduction Burns Bushfires

Recorded fire historyVictorian public land 1933-2010

The report states

“ The BRCIM questions the rolling target as the most effectiveway to increase the level of planned burning across the Stateas working towards a pre-determined target may diminishthe State’s ability to focus on risk reduction in high risk areas.

The BRCIM advocates that the State reconsider the plannedburning rolling target of five per cent as the primary outcomeas part of the planned burning reform program.

It is considered that the most important objective of the planned burningprogram must be to address public safety risks in line with theVBRC’s [Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission] intentions.”

Bushfires Royal Commission ImplementationMonitor’s (BRCIM) Final Report, 2012

Bushfire Royal Commission Implementation Monitor (BRCIM)