DO WE WANT TO BURN CHILTERN/MT PILOT NATIONAL PARK?

I was horrified to see this notice last week at Cyanide Dam (or Honeyeater Picnic Area if you prefer) in the Chiltern/Mt Pilot National Park.

Apparently someone thinks it is a good idea to burn this beautiful bush for 'both fuel management and ecological reasons.'  

I don't!

I understand that there is pressure on the Department of Environment and Primary Industries to burn a certain area of Victoria each year to meet 'fuel reduction' targets.  I do hope that the Chiltern/Mt Pilot National Park (or any other national park or, indeed, any patch of Crown land) is not being burnt simply to meet some academic target.  I see no reason to burn this land.  I see no benefit at all.  I can certainly imagine many creatures being terrified, injured and killed.  For what gain?  So that this bit of bush that's been burnt now, won't be burnt next summer?

I wonder if they'd dare to put a match to it, if there were Regent Honeyeaters or Turquoise Parrots nesting there at the moment?  Perhaps they wouldn't care.

I wonder if all the bureaucrats are in agreement on this, or if there is more than one opinion within the Department.  I wonder if the people proposing to burn this National Park love this countryside as I do, or if they regard it as inferior bush 'not as good as rainforest' as one bureaucrat said to me once.

I wonder if all the politicians agree that this is a good idea.

I'm sorry that I cannot do something to stop this desecration.