Fire Wise Grant Project
Fire Wise Grant Project draws to a conclusion with a huge range of positive outcomes for the region’s landscapes and community!
In March of 2022 the Fleurieu Environment Centre in partnership with the Fleurieu Coast Community Nursery, Green Adelaide and the District Council of Yankalilla commenced a $250,000 grant project focusing on investigating the flammability of local native plants species and how planting methodologies can be used to improve the resilience of our local landscapes and protect assets against the threats of bushfire. This grant was part of the Landscape Resilience Program delivered across 10 local government areas in Australia and supported by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife with grant funding received from the Australian Government through the Preparing Australian Communities local stream. The Fire Wise Grant is now coming to an end in our region with numerous positive outcomes including on ground revegetation sites, the delivery of over 20 educational events including workshops, plant giveaways and propagation demonstrations, as well as the development of resources and knowledge relating to fire wise plant selection, use and maintenance of these plants within the Yankalilla and Onkaparinga Local Government Areas.
This project has drawn upon the local knowledge of environmental consultants, First Nations people, community groups and government employees to investigate and document appropriate plant species selection and carefully consider planting practices that may reduce the impact of future bushfire event.
We’d like to thank all those who have been involved in this project for their significant contributions. Local Environmental Consultant, Paul Green for his investigation and development of the Fire Wise Plant list highlighting the degree of flammability and which local native species are a better choice for revegetation. Burka Senior Man, Karl Winda Telfer for his collaboration and guidance about traditional land management practices and cultural grassland knowledges, including community cultural education and native grass planting events at Karla Yerta (Fire Ground) at Kanyanyapilla. Andrew Fairney and the team from Seeding Natives for their teaching and on ground works relating to the educational workshops and Native Grass Restoration aspects of the grant. We’d also like to thank, Green Adelaide staff for coordinating the Fire Wise update of their award-winning Coastal Gardens Planting guide, which provides gardening advice on local native plants for coastal residents. Local native plant species were updated with icons to highlight lower flammability, advised upon by Environmental Consultant, Paul Green.
The delivery of this grant has been managed jointly between the Fleurieu Environment Centre’s Project Officer, Maddie Maguire and Corey Jackson, Green Adelaide’s Southern Coastal Conservation Officer who is hosted by the District Council of Yankalilla. Maddie has coordinated the administration, reporting, community engagement, workshops, events and general project management and Corey has managed the propagation of plants, field work, management of contractor work and on ground restoration aspects of the grant. The core deliverable of propagating and planting 25,000 Fire Wise plants could not have been achieved without the 779 hours of time put in by the Volunteers at the Fleurieu Coast Community Nursery (FCCN) and the community members that joined us for the eight planting events. We’d also like to thank the Nursery Support Officer, Micheal De Boo for his coordination of the volunteers and assistance in creating the FCCN’s seedbank and infrastructure. Thank you also, to the numerous contractors that have contributed their skills to the revegetation works that have been delivered with funding from this grant.
Although the grant is now complete the partnerships that have been developed throughout this process will prevail and the FCCN will continue to propagate Fire Wise species.
The educational resources that have been developed as part of this grant including the Fire Wise Plant List and updated GA Coastal Gardens booklet are available in hard copy from the Fleurieu Environment Centre