2016-03-22
MS DUNN:To ask the Special Minister of State (for the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water): In relation to the revegetation and rehabilitation of Mount Disappointment State Forest, devastated by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire, there is community concern that there is further damage to the State Forest from off-road vehicles, including motor bikes and four wheel drives:
(1) what action has the Minister taken to rehabilitate and revegetate the areas burnt in the Black Saturday fires;
(2) what is the extent of usage and damage to the Mount Disappointment State Forest by off-road vehicles;
(3) have any assessments been undertaken in relation to any damage caused by off-road vehicles; and
(4) what were the results of any such assessment.
ANSWER:
Following the 2009 fires a large amount of rehabilitation and recovery works were undertaken in Mt Disappointment State Forest. Works included closing and rehabilitating fire control lines and a revegetation program.
In terms of the revegetation program a total of 288 ha of forest that was too young to regenerate naturally was sown by the Department, using approximately 285 kg of Messmate seed and 57 kg of Mountain Ash seed. The remainder of the forest regenerated naturally due to the high volume of seed that was in the tree crown during 2009.
In response to community concerns, local staff are liaising with both Mitchell Shire and VicPol to monitor usage and respond to unlawful usage both in and adjacent to the forest.
Seasonal closures are in place on many forest roads through winter to reduce the impact on water catchment areas.
Works crews continually repair and maintain forest roads and seasonal gates to reduce environmental damage.
Mt Disappointment State Forest is relatively close to the Melbourne metropolitan area and receives very high visitor numbers for most forest activities, especially trail bikes and four wheel drive vehicles. For the most part recreational driving and vehicles utilise the forest road network. Given the open nature of the forest there is also a degree of illegal four wheel drive and trail bike activity off the defined road network, on old logging coupes and on fire breaks.
Local staff are aware of the high visitation and the corresponding impact on forest values from the large range of recreational activities in a relatively small forest area.
Prior to Black Saturday the extent of off-road tracks were mapped and a process undertaken in consultation with user groups (i.e. trail bike riders, 4WDs, horseriders and neighbours) to close and rehabilitate many single lane tracks.
Local staff have noted over the past couple of years there has been an increase in trail bike riders and 4 wheel drive vehicle users thought to be linked to the expansion of Melbourne's northern suburbs.
Prior to and since 2009 there has been an ongoing program to patrol the forest. Newly established single tracks and four wheel drive tracks are closed when detected and rehabilitated where possible.
Last winter local staff addressed issues with off-road driving on the Mt Disappointment fire break by working with 4-wheel-drive Victoria to undertake a month long compliance patrol plan in which 64 offences where observed. Our Authorised Officers educated users, issued 6 infringements notices, with a number still under investigation and 10 warnings were issued.
Question # 4876