Conifers in massive fire fuel load walls!
A greater fire hazard than the native habitat that was removed for 'fear of fire'!
Ironically, many of the indigenous natives removed for this fear are fire retardant, and will slow a fire etc. Then to add insult to injury, having removed all natural debris vital to a healthy ecology, tonnes of woodchip mulch are spread in large areas, adding even more to the fuel load. There is no logic to this destruction of habitat for fire fear only to replace it with a far greater fire risk of what amounts to environmental vandalism. Why are the authorities silent on this terribly insane practice, especially in fire risk areas. Why do people come to the beautiful areas of country knowing of fire risk, then decimate the beautiful 'aussie' habitat for fear of that risk. Even exotics burn. If you surround your house with these conifer walls, then you are putting your property at serious risk, as well as your neighbours. These trees may grow quick, but they are more hazard and harm than any good use as windbreaks. There are many safer alternatives, both native and exotic. Planted in woodland these trees take fire rapidly from ground to canopy, and also impact negatively on the health of the woodland. There needs to be education and discouragement of this environmental weed and dangerous practice.
CONIFERS:
- Highly flammable - high pitch content.
- Take fire from ground to canopy rapidly.
- Grow massive, imposing many meters into neighbouring lands - both roots and branches.
- Encourage Indian Mynas - introduced pest species, impacts negatively on 'aussie' birdlife.
- No habitat value.
- Create wind turbulence - bad for fires.
- Kill all other plants in vicinity, native and exotic.
- Prevent understorey and groundcover plants and therefore destroy biodiversity.
- Dry out and degenerate ground health for many meters past their branches.
- Greedy water uptake compounds climate change factors and leads to higher fire risk while providing high fuel load.
- Impinge on roadway visibility, & ugly when cut clear of power lines.
- Extremely costly to remove and high maintenance to cut and hedge.
SOLUTIONS:
- Plant native windbreaks - many indigenous plants to your area will be fire retardant, i.e. slow to catch fire and catch embers.
- Plant various levels, i.e. tall trees, shorter trees, shrubs, in a number of rows. This will filter wind, and protect from embers, while providing vital habitat.
- There are many native trees that don't grow more than 9-12 meters, and many shrubs that provide flowers and food for wildlife.
- A triple or quadruple row of natives with all storeys will take up less room than conifer monsters, and the ground health will be better for it.
- If you must have exotics - there are plenty of safer alternatives that are far less invasive, and can even provide habitat.