April is Global Citizen Scientist Month! April is a month-long celebration of citizen science and its incredible contribution to advancing science. Citizen scientists can help collect data and collaborate with university researchers, field experts, government departments, and conservation organisations. Citizen scientists can be from all walks of life and levels...
On Thursday the 25th of March 2021 a prescribed burn conducted by the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) tore through 1,800 hectares of forest approximately 25 kilometres east of Manjimup in Southwest Western Australia.
The blaze burned throughout the area known as one of the most important habitats for Critically Endangered numbats. It’s within one of just 36 internationally recognised Global Biodiversity Hotspots and home to a raft of other threatened species and ecosystems.
To that end we put out a tender for the wildlife toll of prescribed burning practices in Southwest Western Australia to be analysed, seeking to understand the impacts the prescribed burning regime is having on wildlife and their habitats and identify opportunities for improvement.
A consortium of Denmark Environment Centre, Warren Catchments Council, and Fire and Biodiversity WA were selected to lead the project. With scrutiny on prescribed burning practices intensifying in Western Australia and nationally, we release Analysing the Wildlife Toll of Prescribed Burning Practices in Southwest WA – this report makes clear there is much to do and no time to waste.
