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As many of you would be aware, on December 20 2019, the Adelaide Hills community was devastated by bushfire.
Our thoughts continue to be with those who have been affected.
Since the fire ground was declared extinguished, AMBC has been in close contact with Forestry SA to offer assistance where we can.
While it is still unsafe for volunteers to assist in the recovery, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we ask that everyone remains patient.
The club has secured a $10,000 grant from the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing to assist sporting clubs whose facilities were impacted by fires. This grant will be donated to the Forestry SA fire recovery project manager to help cover the costs of immediate works and future planning as part of the recovery effort.
Please remember that the park is still closed.
We will continue to engage with Forestry and will let AMBC members know when there are opportunities to assist.
Forestry have issued the following statement:
Due to the potential of falling trees and branches, the area is unsafe for public visitation.
Sections of the Heysen and Mawson Trails which pass through this area of forest are also closed until further notice. ForestrySA will work with trail managers to identify and establish temporary re-routes where possible.
ForestrySA acknowledges temporary closure of the Cudlee Creek Forest Reserve, trails and mountain bike precinct is causing significant impact on visitor access. As a result, work is underway with South Australian Government agencies, Bike SA, mountain bike clubs and community groups to develop a workable recovery and operational plan for the area.
This will involve clearance of fallen vegetation debris from bike trails, salvage of plantation timber, installation of warning signage and fence repairs, identification and removal of dangerous trees and remarking of mountain bike trails to help make the area safe again.
While it could take 6-12 months before these trails can reopen for public use, ForestrySA is committed to exploring new bike and forest use opportunities as a means of boosting forest visitation opportunities.
Rehabilitation of the bushfire landscape will take many years. Native vegetation will likely recover in time through natural regeneration and careful weed management. Recovery will be monitored to assess the need for supplementary planting of native species.
Further updates on the recovery plan will be provided as on-ground works progress. For your own safety, do not enter fire-affected forest areas. For more information and continuing updates visit www.forestrysa.com.au, call us on (08) 8391 8800, or email recreation@forestrysa.com.au.
Photo: James Anderson