IFFA offers its sympathy to those who have lost relatives or friends in
the bushfires, or whose property has been damaged or destroyed in the bushfires around February 8th.

Like others, our organisation's members are seeking answers as we emerge
from the initial shock of the tragedy.
Many people have paid a high price for living close to the bush that they
love.

However, as houses continued to burn and the death toll climbed, the crass
attempts by some commentators to use the tragedy to discredit
environmentalism was opportunism at its worst. Many painted 'Greenies'as the
prime villains in their scenarios with a presumed agenda to prevent all
prescribed burning and clearing around settlements. Attacks on local
council and agency staff have been particularly unrestrained.
It is right that the media present to us the passion of distraught victims
and, in the name of balance, the opinions of those with reactionary views.
However, while more thoughtful and informed opinions have emerged, it is the
wild words that will stick in many people's memories, shaping attitudes and
behaviour. Conservationists must remain receptive and engaged in future
debates.

As we attend to the immediate needs of the victims, this disaster demands we
ask deep questions about how live in this land. Never has it been more
critical to check the credentials of those we choose to help form opinion
and policy.

Following the bushfires, the main goal is to rebuild shattered communities. But there are other communities that need to be thought about as well – the native plants and animals that have been killed or damaged.
Over the next weeks, months and even years, the impacts of the bushfires will be felt. Victorian land managers will need to think about the overall impacts of the fire on biodiversity. Some of these things are:

• Rescuing injured wildlife
• Managing the lack of food for surviving animals
• How to best assist and manage community groups wanting to help feed surviving animals, and provide habitats such as nest boxes
• How browsing animals such as kangaroos, and exotic animals such as deer affect regrowth
• Managing damaged water catchments
• Making sure that fire suppression and rehabilitation works don’t have a serious impact on important biodiversity and conservation areas
• Forest industries will be in a hurry to conduct “salvage” logging – in other words, to cut out timber that’s still useable. This will have to be managed carefully to make sure biodiversity values aren’t further compromised.
• Exotic pest animals often take advantage of dead or injured native animals, and weeds can move into more open areas following a fire. This means that the community needs to thinks about predator control around unburnt refuges, and controlling weeds at important biodiversity locations
• There will be some important populations of threatened species might need particular help, such as Leadbeater’s Possum. Rare native fish in the burned areas will be under threat from ash pollution and increased soil erosion, for example Macquarie Perch and Australian Grayling.  
• Fast remedial action will be needed for some species, but there’ll also be a need for short and long-term monitoring of recovery of areas after the fires. This will be an area where research institutions will be important.

It’s critical that the government does not immediately bow to the backlash in some quarters over government policies such as native vegetation clearing controls, but thinks long and hard before making any amendments.