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Reflection, Recovery and Regeneration – Preserving Planet Earth

By Leonie Gale, Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife

Changes in global climate have the potential to drastically increase bushfire threats in Australia as well as in other parts of the world such as along the west coast of the USA. Predicting the impacts of climate change in specific regions continues to be scientifically very complex.

Current projections suggest that south-eastern Australia could see an increase in the frequency of very high and extreme fire danger days. In northern Australia, current predictions suggest the frequency of floods and droughts could increase with many ecosystems becoming more arid.

The ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires in the State of Victoria (south-eastern Australia) that occurred on 7 February 2009 are considered to be the worst natural disaster in the history of Australia. With over 1 million acres of forests and farmlands burnt, these devastating fires killed 173 people and destroyed around 3,500 structures of which over 2,000 were homes, impacting on at least 70 townships and communities.

As another bushfire season is already underway, it is timely, one year on, to reflect on the devastating causes of the long-term effects of the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires. Responses included immediate community response, donations and later, international aid efforts, government inquiries including a year-long Royal Commission with recommendations and contributions from a wide variety of bodies, organisations, authorities and communities

Many incredible stories of recovery and regeneration are for the telling.

During January 2009, many parts of Victoria received no rain, intensifying the ongoing drought. A parched countryside and high fuel loads combined on a day of high heat with catastrophic results. Words are not enough to describe the February fires which were so extreme and took so much, leaving an overwhelming sense of loss.

By the 8^th of February, smoke from the fires had reached New Zealand, and the severity of the situation was ‘front-page’ news around the globe. The Foundation launched an email appeal to provide urgent assistance to wildlife rescue groups. Our supporters were quick to respond with over A$28,000 raised to supply cages, fire-proof safety gear, medical supplies and fuel.

Wildlife rescuers moved into the burnt areas as soon as they were allowed access and were surprised and saddened fewer than expected injured animals. As a result of the intensity of the fires, many had perished or were unable to escape. Still, many hundreds of animals were brought to shelters for treatment and six wildlife shelters were destroyed.

The fires had ripped through the main koala habitat in Victoria.

Koalas climb when threatened and those that survived all suffered badly burnt paws and noses. Swift rescue saved many animals suffering from dehydration, lack of food and burns. Many rescued koalas have not been released because of the lack of suitable food trees. However, with the help of the Australian office of The Boeing Company, the Foundation has been supporting koala food tree planting across the affected areas during 2009 with the assistance of other wildlife support groups and many hundreds of community volunteers.

Many wildlife volunteers have been working endlessly since February. Hundreds of ‘food droppers’ distribute food suppliers in fire affected areas for the wildlife survivors who no longer have a food source. This task will continue until the large areas of burnt but slowly regenerating bushland recovers.

One wildlife support agency, Wildlife Rescue and Protection Incorporated, has nurtured a number of injured koalas but has been unable or reluctant to release koalas back to their original sites owing mainly to the lack of food. Also, because of the heat from the fires, there is no understorey and the returning animals are quickly exposed to predators. The lack of understorey has caused another problem - no wind break. As a result, large eucalypt trees still have the propensity to fall, particularly during strong windstorms, a situation which can kill nesting koalas which otherwise have recovered from the bushfires.

On a more positive note, there are still around 15 koalas in care at one of their shelters. Brutus the koala, which had very badly burned paws and a whole toe removed, is doing very well.

Jelly bean joeys were in the pouches of rescued female koalas, Karen (pictured) and Heather. Recently they both had healthy joeys’ emerge from their pouches. This is what the carers call “Rescuers Reward!”

People are beginning to see the return of wildlife with reports of lyrebird sightings, possums and small wallabies around areas of Gippsland in South-eastern Victoria.

Plant matter is starting to grow well in the burnt areas although some of the areas were so devastated that the environment will never be the same again. It takes a lot of time for nature to recuperate after such a devastating fire, and we are lucky that this country has so many hard working and dedicated carers who are there for the long haul.

Wildlife Rescue North East Victoria was involved in the fires in the Beechworth area. They had wildlife shelters in the area actively looking and caring for sick, injured, burnt, suffering and starving wildlife. From their work comes the story of Stanley the Wombat (pictured), found four months after the fires.

Stanley was suitably named as he was found on Stanley Road, a badly burnt area of land. Stanley managed to survive with a horrifically deep burn on his back. Although Stanley was an adult, he weighed only 12 kilograms. Stanley was on his last legs when found. He had a terrible infection under the scarring and a deep hole that was interfering with his spinal nerves causing him to “go” in his back legs.

The carers took Stanley to their Wildlife Shelter in the township of Myrtleford where they treated his burns and provided him with antibiotics. Stanley doubled his weight in just one week. Stanley is one tough wombat, recently released looking so much better than when he came in.

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife would like to thank all those generous donors (including Rotarians) who contributed funds to help with the victims of the Victorian bushfires last year. Funding was provided to Wildlife Victoria, Wildlife Rescue North East Victoria, Help for Wildlife, Wildlife Rescue & Information Network and Wildlife Rescue & Protection Incorporated. The Foundation thanks the wildlife carers and volunteers for their extraordinary efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife back into the bush.

Photo Credits: Wildlife Rescue and Protection Incorporated, North East Victoria Wildlife Rescue

The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife is a Community Service project supported by Rotary eClub One and one of its members as just one contribution to Rotary’s Preserve Planet Earth imperative.

Rotary eClub One also responded quickly to the Victorian bushfire relief campaign, funding five Shelter Boxes for homeless victims, as well as providing funding to the Rotary Club of Healesville, District 9810 for the supply of two purpose-built trailers to support community bushfire relief work.