By STEVE GRAY
WALKING tracks in the tinder-dry Rosenthal Scrub in Warwick will be expanded and the grass on them cut as the lessees attempt to reduce the danger of fire.
The all-volunteer Society for Growing Australian Plants (SGAP) leases the seven hectare block of Crown land as an environmental bush park and neighbouring urban residents are concerned about the amount of fuel on the block.
SGAP spokesman Darrell Fletcher said firefighters and council workers inspected the land at Rosenthal Heights on Monday and decided to expand the existing walking tracks to allow access for vehicles should a fire erupt.
Southern Downs Regional Council deputy mayor Ross Bartley said there was no way to cut a firebreak right around the property.
Cr Bartley said council will consider a report at its October 30 meeting.
“If they can’t get a firebreak right around we may have to consider other alternatives,” he said.
Mr Fletcher said SGAP were aware of the danger of fire but the window for a burn-off has closed.
“I can understand them being a bit worried about grass fires,” said Mr Fletcher.
“We’re working on the problem.
“We’re considering the use of weedicides, but there’s quite a bit of opposition against the use of chemicals on the site.
“We are worried and we are trying to do something about the grass.”
Mr Fletcher said under the terms of their lease, livestock grazing is not permitted, meaning one alternative to control the growth is forbidden.
Any burn-off should occur in June or July, he said, but “the change of season was very sudden this year”.
“We didn’t want to use fire on there because we had the first opportunity for seedling regrowth of the plants we want to keep, and if we’d used fire we would have lost them all.
“There are plants that should be there that aren’t there anymore.
“We have plants ready to go in to replace those, so we certainly won’t want livestock in there eating the few susceptible plants that we put in.”
