File attachment:
| Title | Putting ‘it’ together: mapping the narratives of bushfire and place in two Australian landscapes - final report for the Social construction of fuels in the interface 2 project |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Year of Publication | 2014 |
| Authors | Beilin, R, Reid, K |
| Series Title | The Social Construction of Fuels in the Interface (Project Two) |
| Date Published | 2014 |
| Abstract | The landscape means different things to different people and these ‘social constructions’ strongly influence what people value in landscapes and how they think about management. Community landscape values may not always correspond with the assets that fire management agencies prioritise for protection. This pilot research project aimed to (1) understand the underlying social and ecological values people associate with the landscape, and (2) investigate how understanding the interface between scientific-ecological and local-intuitive knowledge can contribute to fire management. Taking a “place-mapping” approach, we interviewed residents in two contrasting Australian landscapes – the Adelaide Hills and the Southern Grampians. Research participants were asked to ‘mud map’ their social and ecological landscapes at local and regional scales. Key findings from the research were: There is little evidence of an ‘information deficit’ about the risk of bushfire among residents. Many however expect to be taken surprised by fire (local ignition, low risk day) and therefore construct multiple fire plans to suit multiple scenarios. Home-making practices (gardening, planting indigenous species, walking the landscape creating a home-territory) extend the sense of “home” into the landscape. Being at home during a fire is therefore about protecting values greater than the house. There is however a tension between homeowner responsibility for mitigation before a fire and lack of control during a fire. The ways people order and prioritise their memory of fire is important. Memory may be a forward construct that helps people deal with future risk. Mapping as a method seems to trigger a memory response that helps people connect intuitive and rational ways of knowing about fire; they connect their social and ecological (biophysical) worlds in this process. These findings should assist managers to assess the fire safety message and the findings support and create new ways to engage with local communities. |
