Intact native Forests mitigate bushfire in a warming climate

As Australia's climate warms up we are facing increased bush fire risk. Old growth forests trap moisture and provide an important bulwark against bushfires, while previously logged forest regrowth with trees of the same maturity will tend to burn at a much higher intensity.

Chris Taylor from Beyond Zero Emissions and Melbourne University has done an extensive bushfire data analysis that proves intact native forests mitigated the 2009 Victorian bushfires. He was speaking at the Australian Forests and Climate Forum 2011 held in August

Maybe it is time to stop logging our native forests for woodchip and protecting them as important bushfire management zones as well as important refugia for biodiversity in a time of global warming. Forests also play a major role as carbon sinks according to scientists with Victorian forests are amoung the world’s most carbon-dense which should be preserved and protected.

Environmental Scorecards: Climate action missing in action from Major Party policy

The major parties have sidelined action on climate this election, delaying any policy on setting a carbon price and only taking small steps to encourage conversion to renewable energy or carbon emissions reduction. The Climate Institute, Australian Conservation Foundation, and the Wilderness Society have all heavily criticised both Government and Coalition parties while endorsing the supportive climate and environmental policies of the Greens.

While Prime Minister Julia Gillard 'believes' in anthropogenic climate change, her government's main climate policy is a proposed 150 person citizen assembly to build a community consensus on climate action and continuing renewable energy programs already started. The Government continues to reiterate that the introduction of an emissions trading scheme will not be reassessed until the end of 2012. Climate activists have criticised Julia Gillard over current ALP climate change policy.