Bushfire and Biodiversity Disaster Risk Reduction Tool: A Community-Led Values-Based Bushfire Risk Management Project with Multi-Agency Support to Develop Strategies to Protect Biodiversity and Manage Bushfire in Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Introduction:

This Australian-first project explored residents’ values about living in one of Australia’s extreme bushfire risk areas. The project team developed the Upper Beaconsfield Bushfire and Biodiversity Tool (UPB&BT) which delivers tailored local information for residents living in the area. Designed to empower residents to make informed decisions, this user-friendly, online tool visualizes a community’s devastating bushfire history, reveals residents’ values about living in this area, and provides evidence-based actions to protect biodiversity and manage bushfire fuels on private property.

Method:

Structured decision-making methodology informed the survey design to elicit residents’ values about biodiversity protection and bushfire risk reduction, by inviting approximately 3000 residents to complete the survey. This community-led project applied a participatory approach by inviting collaboration between government, agencies, universities, and community representatives.

Results:

Key results revealed 75% of respondents valued nature and lifestyle. 51% saw bushfire risk as an important factor for managing vegetation on private land, while 65% either mow or slash to manage vegetation. Synthesized data informed the content of the UPB&BT, which sourced evidence-based knowledge or specialists’ expertise to provide tailored content and actions that met residents’ diverse values. This included the consequences of chosen actions, which helps residents understand the impact of their decisions. However, results identified confusion in roles and responsibilities.

Conclusion:

This ground-breaking community-led, government-funded project joined with government, agencies, universities, and community representatives to develop a new bushfire and biodiversity tool to help residents understand biodiversity protection and bushfire management in their local community. Results aim to empower residents to make their own evidence-based and informed choices about managing their properties, thereby contributing to the community good. They decide what is important and identify available actions and their potential consequences. Other communities could replicate this process to localize their own disaster risk reduction strategies.