Ecosystem collapse in the Victorian high country | FoE Melbourne NationBuilder Embedded Actions

Ecosystem collapse in the Victorian high country

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Snow Gums are the classic alpine tree of the Australian High Country. And they're now at risk.

They can survive fire. However, climate change driven fire seasons are leading to more frequent fire, which is causing more death of trees. Dieback is more damaging due to the effects of climate change. In many places, localised ecological collapse is now occurring.

We are on the verge of losing the landscapes that we spent decades protecting.

However, the Victorian government refuses to investigate the scale of this collapse or options to secure the survival of this iconic species.

Without government intervention we will see the continued decline - and localised collapse of - these precious forests.

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Subject:

The Hon Jacinta Allan
Premier of Victoria
 
The Hon Steve Dimopoulos,
Minister for Environment
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events
Minister for Outdoor Recreation
 
Dear Ms Allan and Mr Dimopoulos,
 
In 2019, the Environment and Planning Committee of the Legislative Council was tasked with investigating ecosystem decline in Victoria.
 
It was clear that Victoria’s ecosystem was facing major threats from noxious weeds and invasive species, climate change and habitat loss and fragmentation, and the inquiry investigated ecosystem decline across Victoria and looked at measures to restore habitats and populations of threatened and endangered species.

The report of the committee found that, as expected, climate change is already driving ecosystem decline across Victoria with devastating consequences for flora and fauna.
The Committee recommended that the government and research partners conduct further analysis to improve localised climate projections for both agricultural and biodiversity values.
Very little has happened since the Committee reported back in 2021. However, ecosystem decline continues across the state and in some areas, localised ecosystem collapse is occurring.

The Victorian government’s environment Department (DEECA) describes this process as ‘Type-change’ and ‘population collapse’. This is where a forest community collapses due to environmental pressures and is replaced by a ‘non-forest state’. As DEECA notes, this is ‘usually because of repeat, short-interval bushfires that return at frequencies shorter than’ the ability of those forests to recover.

Across the Victorian high country we are witnessing the beginning of significant ecosystem collapse in Alpine Ash and Snow Gum forests and woodlands.

In the case of Alpine Ash, the situation is so severe that the Victorian government now has to intervene to ensure the survival of alpine ash forests after fire through seed collecting and dispersal of seed from the air. We welcome this necessary intervention.

But no one knows how bad the ecosystem collapse in snow gum forests is. Our state is starting to lose this iconic species (and the animals and potentially the local economies who rely on nature-based tourism).

In recent decades, climate-fuelled bushfires have devastated huge areas of the Snow Gum forests. More than 90 percent of Snow Gum habitat has been burnt at least once in the last 20 years. Many areas have been burnt multiple times, with population collapse being reported by citizen scientists, bushwalkers and other recreational users.

Without government intervention we will see the continued decline - and localised collapse of - these precious forests.

We need your government to intervene – to initiate an investigation into the health of snow gum woodlands and forests. This could be done internally by DEECA or the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.

Once there has been an investigation into threats, your government can then craft a response intended to address the twin risks of too-frequent fire and the spread of die-back.

This collapse is happening on our watch. I urge you to act to ensure the long term survival of this important species.

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