Threatened Forrest Tour #2: Northern Jarrah Forests

24 August 2021

A huge thank you to everyone who came along for the Northern Jarrah Forests Tour this weekend! Also a huge thank you to the locals from Collie and the Northern Jarrah Forests who invited us all to come out and bear witness to the plight of their local native forests.

Late in July 2021, tour-goers saw and heard the reality of what is happening to these jarrah forests and why it is so critically important that we act now to protect all of what remains. The logging and clearing of the northern jarrah forests are having devastating impacts on the ecosystem, and all the native animals that inhabit it – this simply has to stop if these ecosystems are to last.

We were also very humbled to be educated by Maitland Hill from KaarakDreaming on Nyoongar – Aboriginal bush medicine, native plants, and artifacts through Serpentine Falls. We highly recommend his tours for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge in this area! If you would like to be a part of Threatened Forests Tour #3, stay tuned for the announcement!

Protect the tingles from prescribed burning, for good

Tingles are a large, ancient tree species that are only found in a small area in WA’s Southwest, close to Walpole. They can live for more than 400 years, reach heights over 55 metres and have the largest base of any eucalypt, and provide critical habitat to many threatened plants and animals. They are vulnerable to frequent fire.

In December 2024, Giants East, a tingle forest block in the famed Valley of the Giants, was torched as part of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)’s prescribed burning program.

More than 100 giant trees collapsed in the intense burn, with flames reaching the tops of many trees in one of the worst outcomes seen by WA’s prescribed burning program.

After persistent community action, three tingle-karri blocks, Nornalup, Coalmine and Mount Clare received a reprieve at the end of 2025 and were removed from the burn plan until July 2026.

But these blocks, and other tingle forests, aren’t safe forever. They could be on the burn plan for 2026-27. There must be a commitment from the WA Government to permanently protect tingles from prescribed burning and revise how fire is managed in these areas.

Over time, tingle forests self-thin and become naturally less flammable. Left unburnt, they are less of a fire risk than forests burnt in the last 30 years.

In a drying climate that is increasingly prone to bushfires, it’s important to be bushfire ready, but prescribed burning shouldn’t be the only tool in our bushfire prevention kit. It is vital that the Southwest’s prescribed burning practices reflect current science and a changed climate, and funding is directed towards rapid detection and suppression of bushfires.

Smoking collapsed Tingle after the giants east burn

It is of the highest priority that the tingles are protected from fire not just in this burn plan, but for good.

Please contact the Premier and relevant Ministers using our template to urge them to permanently protect tingle forests from prescribed burning. Enter your details to start writing your email.

Read more about the Giants East burn or about rapid suppression technology.