It is a technique used by traditional custodians for millennia and it helped reduce the impact of last year's tragic March bushfire in the Tathra district, yet a lack of funding may see cultural burning struggle to continue in the region.
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We have a short seasonal window to do this work and it will soon be too late.
- Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Glenn Willcox
Across Australia communities are embracing low intensity cool burning, and after visiting Tathra in May last year traditional knowledge consultant Victor Steffensen said the land management technique had helped prevent further destruction by the bushfire.
This week, Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Glenn Willcox said an unfulfilled funding commitment by the state government may leave the organisation’s trained crew unable to plan or implement burns ahead of the hazard reduction season.
Mr Willcox said he was "told twice in May last year" by Bega MP Andrew Constance the program would receive funding to support three years of hazard reduction burns on the council's landholdings that neighbour residential properties.
"With the hazard reduction season fast approaching the Bega LALC have not received any funds and enquiries to Mr Constance’s office have not been responded to," Mr Willcox said.
Mr Willcox said the MP had confirmed in a radio interview in December that funds had been secured and meetings with the land council and the NSW Rural Fire Service would "get things moving".
"We have heard nothing since," Mr Willcox said.
"We need to receive the core funding that was committed soon to be able to plan and implement the program.
"We have a short seasonal window to do this work and it will soon be too late."
The fire management program's work in Tathra, Tura Beach, Mirador and Wallagoot may not go ahead, Mr Willcox said.
"The cultural burning approach to fire management, which is founded on traditional Aboriginal knowledge using low intensity cool burning, is becoming more widely recognised across Australia for its multiple land management benefits, including reducing wildfire risk," he said.
“This program creates so many good environmental and community outcomes and reduces wildfire risk to neighbouring residential properties."
Member for Bega Andrew Constance and his office were contacted for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.