Symposium: Fire and biodiversity in Victoria

Event location: 
Royal Society of Victoria, on the corner of Exhibition and La Trobe streets, Melbourne
Date: 
Monday, October 24, 2011 to Tuesday, October 25, 2011

A symposium exploring the relationships between biodiversity, bushfires and planned burning in Victoria.

Please note, attendees are limited to 110, so an early application is strongly recommended.

The symposium will build on information garnered by the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission in response to the statement in the Commission's final report:

"The Commission notes that the decline in the health of Victoria's ecosystems - which has not been helped by the decline in the quality and maintenance of biological information - is having a deleterious impact on planning for community safety." (Vol. II Part two, page 297)

The symposium program will feature presentations by some of Victoria's foremost fire ecologists and fire managers. It aims to make a significant contribution to the ongoing debate on the management of fire in Victoria's natural areas in the face of climate change. In discussion periods facilitated by leaders in the scientific community, the symposium will seek to resolve three big issues facing land managers in the state:

  • What do we know about bushfires, planned burning and biodiversity in Victoria?
  • How should we design burn prescriptions for biodiversity?
  • What research and monitoring programs should we establish to improve management of fire and biodiversity?

Registration for the two days (including lunch) is $140.
The discounted cost for students and non-profit organisations is $70.

To register email the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) at vnpa@vnpa.org.au, with 'Symposium' in the subject heading. Please include your name, contact details, position, and place of employment or area of study and/or affiliation. A registration form will be forwarded to you.

For further information contact the VNPA on 03 93475188 .