Commonwood Farm are thrilled to announce receipt of a $23,000 BCRRF grant from the bushfire recovery fund to support our Green Wedge initiative. NSW Deputy Premier and Member for Monaro, John Barillaro, and QPRC Mayor, Tim Overall, announced the new funding.
The project will establish two permanent firebreaks of fire retardant species, enabling fire truck access, and supporting capacity to respond to fire threats from the west of Braidwood. We are looking forward to starting preparations for Spring planting and installation of water infrastructure.
We’d like to thank all of the community members and groups that wrote to support our application for funding: The Upper-Shoalhaven Landcare Council; Braidwood St Vincent de Paul Conference; Braidwood Central School; Braidwood Life Centre; and the Braidwood Community Association. Special thanks to Braidwood RFS Captain, Scott Hart, for support and advice.
Project background
In late November 2019 when the North Black Ridge fire threatened Braidwood township from the West, firefighters cut fences and scraped a firebreak across the Braidwood Common in preparation for an advancing fire front that had jumped the Shoalhaven River. After the fire threat passed Commonwood Farm members had the idea to ensure permanent access for firefighting appliances, to help emergency services defend the town if another threat approached from this direction.
We decided to establish a permanent planted fire break, using fire-retardant species and to install irrigation to make suppression easier for attending fire crews. We met with Scott Hart, Braidwood RFS Captain, to discuss the design to ensure it satisfies operational requirements. The project involves establishing two permanent firebreaks on the Braidwood Common using fire retardant tree species. One will be located near the Waste Transfer Station and another further out along Bombay Rd. (see map below).
We will fence two wide strips across the Common from Bombay Rd to the riparian zone of Gillamatong Creek. Appropriately sized gates and turning circles will enable fire trucks to access from Bombay Rd. to respond to any fire threat that comes to Braidwood from the west. Access will be on the leeward side of a planted tree lane of selected fire-retardant species.
These planted strips will function to resist and suppress approaching fire. They will incorporate irrigation including a dedicated water storage tank, which will initially help to establish the plantings and can be used to soak the area and increase fire suppression capacity in a fire event, as well as being a source of water for fire appliances.
Commonwood Farm Braidwood 