FUEL-REDUCTION burns near Trentham threaten the area's sensitive wetlands and could kill endangered plants and animals, according to a Wombat Forest protection group.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment is planning burns in a large area of forest between Trentham and Lyonville this autumn.
But regional environment group Wombat Forestcare will fight to stop the burns and has organised a protest walk through the forest.
DSE fuel management officer Lee Gleeson defended the burns, saying they were vital for the protection of surrounding townships.
Wombat Forestcare spokesman Murray Ralph said the area contained a breeding pair of the endangered powerful owl and the rare plant, wiry bossiaea.
"The way this area is cared for and managed is vital to the long-term survival of many plants and animals," he said.
"These wetlands have suffered from 10 years of drought and a fuel-reduction burn will place additional stress on the area.
"It will also result in the loss of peat and moss beds that are extensive in the area.
"Part of the area was burnt last year and, despite guarantees from DSE that the burns would be of low intensity, a large area of wetlands were intensely burnt."
The group and other Trentham residents are also concerned the burns will have detrimental effects on the area's wetlands and soaks that feed creeks, rivers and springs.
Mr Ralph said the wetland networks were associated with the upper tributaries of the Coliban River.
"These wetlands are very important for maintaining the hydrology of the upper catchment of the Coliban River and are one of the last remaining sections of the Coliban Catchment that still functions as it would have done prior to white settlement," Mr Ralph said.
"Because of their high quality and importance, these wetlands have been identified as one of three priority reaches in the Coliban Catchment Action Plan," he said.
"While NCCMA (North Central Catchment Management Authority) is spending taxpayer dollars to protect waterways in the upper catchments, DSE continues to engage in practices that put these valuable areas at risk," he
said.
Mr Ralph said the wetlands could be excluded from burning with little increase in fire risk to Trentham.
"Large areas of highly flammable weeds, such as broom, gorse and phalaris, grow directly on the edge of Trentham that are far more of a fire risk to the town, but are not controlled by either DSE or Hepburn Shire Council," Mr Ralph said.
Mr Gleeson, who manages about 80 Hepburn Shire fuel-reduction burns per year, said the area was at risk of a repeat of 1983 wildfires, which started in the Wombat Forest and spread to the Macedon Ranges.
"These people need to consider what they want - a low-intensity reduction burn or a high-intensity wildfire," Mr Gleeson said.
He said DSE had already reduced the size of the burns by about 75 per cent after liaising with Wombat Forestcare.
"Now it's time to get down to business and start protecting towns like Trentham, Newbury and Barrys Reef," he said.
The public is invited to join Wombat Forestcare on the march. The group will meet at 1pm at the Trentham Railway Station.
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