Page 4520 - Week 10 - Thursday, 23 September 2010
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(3) Outside the catchment area the current pines are being managed as plantations pending the outcome of a cabinet submission into the future use and management of the pine plantations in the ACT. Within the LCC the regrowth of native species has been promoted by weed control of competing blackberry and pine wildlings, and by active revegetation planting in accordance with the LCC Strategic Management Plan. The Paddys River Catchment from the Cotter River upstream to just beyond Murrays Corner is included in the biodiversity offsets program being undertaken by ACTEW Corp as part of the Enlarged Cotter Dam- it will be subject to erosion control, fish habitat creation, weed control and revegetation.
The fire risk in this area is no more or less than anywhere else in the ACT. Management of the fuel loads in the whole area has been considered in the Regional Fire Management Plans which were developed to advise the Strategic Bush Fire Management Plan version 2 (SBMPv2). The risk of fire in this area (as with all areas in the ACT) has been assessed and strategies (identified in the Bush Fire Operational Plan) have been put in place where required.
(4) Extensive rehabilitation work has been undertaken. In the LCC the focus has been on stabilising soils through managing roads and erosion areas and re-establishing native vegetation. Immediately post January 2003, extensive areas adjacent to the Cotter Dam and the Cotter River where ripped, mounded and planted in an effort to prevent surface run off. This work has continued over the years since 2003 and will continue until at least 2012, with the main focus being mainly weed control and maintenance of erosion control structures and roads. Similar activities have been undertaken in the plantation areas to re-establish pine plantations, manage roads and control overland erosion.
(5) The Regional Fire Management Plans that were prepared by TAMS to inform the SBMPv2 cover this area. These Regional Plans cover all forms of hazard reduction and account for the ecological and recreational aspects of the landscape over the next 10 years. The TAMS Bushfire Operational Plan (BOP) is a requirement under legislation and is produced annually utilising the information from the Regional Plans. The 2010/11 BOP has been endorsed by the ACT Bush Fire Council and approved by the Commissioner of the Emergency Services Agency and is currently being implemented – copies can be obtained from TAMS.
(6) The area in question has always been widely used for active recreational pursuits. The land managers responsible for this area over the past 80 years have actively encouraged this use and many formal picnic and recreation facilities have been developed including Murrays Corner and Cotter Reserve. Fire trails in the area are used for recreational driving, including 4 wheel-driving, motorcycling, bicycling, walking and running. Recreation within the LCC is guided by the LCC Recreation Strategy (draft) which uses a zoning approach to identify what types of recreational activities can be undertaken, based on water catchment protection.
Mulligan’s Flat nature reserve—interim board
(Question No 1067)
Mr Rattenbury asked the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, upon notice, on 26 August 2010:
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