Conference provides platform to share engagement success

Together with Lisa, a local community member, Bridget presented on the work being undertaken in the region to create space and opportunity for fire agencies to learn alongside communities.

The presentation showcased the process of collaboration after storms and planned burning in The Wombat, a multi-use forested area surrounding the towns of Hepburn and Daylesford which includes 70,000Ha of state forest. 

Through storytelling, Bridget and Lisa described how listening, learning, making decisions and adapting together assisted the community and agencies to address concerns about the impact of a planned burn as well as the flood and storm events of 2022. 

Lisa connected with Bridget after seeing community comments on Facebook, and planned a series of community-led activities, starting with a Bush Walk-and-Talk. This involved a group of interested community members and agencies meeting in the bush to discuss their concerns and share knowledge regarding impact, activities, operations and planning in the fores - and implications for fire risk.  

Bridget highlighted the benefits of agencies and communities connecting as people and providing space to share knowledge, which ultimately leads to greater trust as well as understanding of local values, hazards and risks.  

This Walk-and-Talk led to further community and agency connections, with follow-up meetings exploring risk, using mapping and modelling tools as well as providing space for the community to ask questions and share knowledge.

An important outcome of this process is a culture of ongoing conversation between agencies and communities. Community members are more connected with agencies, and there is shared understanding of the values and goals of people who live and work in the area.