Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CALL TO LET KINGLAKE CATTLE GRAZE FOREST
The Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance, the Barmah community and the
Barmah Cattlemen’s Association today called on the government to allow cattle from
fire affected properties graze on the lush feed in the Barmah forest.
“The Alliance has asked the ministerial Barmah Grazing Advisory committee to
undertake an assessment of the feed in the forest to determine how many cattle
could be transported to the forest for 12 weeks free grazing” said Peter Newman,
chairman of the Alliance.
“They have reported to us yesterday that conservatively, 400 cattle could be put into
the forest immediately because of the abundant feed. We call on Mr Brumby to
immediately relax the ban on cattle grazing so we can offer some of the best grazing
available in Victoria to fire affected farmers who are under enormous stress trying to
care for stock”.
Grazing was not allowed in the forest by the department this year on the grounds that
the forest was stressed by the drought. Abundant early summer rains and accidental
flooding in recent weeks have seen strong growth of introduced grasses and weeds
in parts of the forest. This has been acknowledged in correspondence to the Alliance
from the Department of Sustainability and Environment [DSE].
“The Barmah community has been battling DSE since last spring to undertake urgent
fire prevention works in the forest because of the high fire danger to the Barmah
township to no avail. This threat is real and in light of the recent fires has the town on
edge.
Allowing cattle into the forest would help fire affected farmers and reduce the fire
threat to the Barmah community. Cattle grazing has reduced the fire threat in the
forest for 150 years.
We are ready to move on this immediately and call on the Premier to show
leadership to cut through red tape and help fire affected farmers. Only cattle from fire
affected areas would be put into the forest and they would be monitored and cared
for by members of the Barmah Cattlemen’s Association” concluded Mr Newman.
Cattle previously put into the forest by the community in defiance of the DSE grazing
ban would be removed from the forest so as not to compete with fire affected cattle
for feed.
- ENDS -
Media Contact: Max Rheese 0428 621320. info@rrgea.org
The Rivers & Red Gum Environment Alliance is a not-for-profit community and user
group based environment organisation having no political affiliation. The Alliance
objective is to provide the Victorian government with an alternative solution to the
Victorian Environment Assessment Council recommendations for the River Red Gum
forests. A viable solution to the land and water management challenges facing the
red gum forests along the Murray River and its major tributaries is paramount for the
environment as well as the communities along the rivers. For more information
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