Hold the chainsaw

By Kath Gannaway
GARDENERS with bushfire-damaged vegetation on their properties are being advised not to spring headlong into removing it, but to wait until spring.
At a recent community talk on post-fire garden recovery, Melbourne University horticulturalist Greg Moore said that while some plants might appear dead, that might not be the case.
Mr Moore said studies after the 1983 bushfires showed a variety of effects on gardens.
“Some plants are burnt, some merely singed and others are affected by the blasts of hot air that accompany the strong wind associated with bushfire,” he said.
Yarra Ranges councillor Jeanette McRae said Mr Moore’s main message was to give it until spring to see what happened to vegetation.
“While it is tempting to rip out anything looking singed, gardens will come back quicker if some of it is still alive, rather than replanting all over again,” Cr McRae said.
“The best thing is to wait and see what is really still alive.”
Cr McRae also advised residents against wholesale tree removal.
“We want to retain as much of our treed environment as possible. Removing trees can contribute to erosion and reduce biodiversity, posing a long term threat to our flora and fauna,” she said.
She advised residents to consider getting professional advice on whether a tree they were thinking of removing was dead.
Free tree assessment for fire affected properties is available through the shire. Phone 1300 368 333 for details.