MOUNTAIN cattlemen have applauded a Victorian Opposition promise to restore limited grazing to the Alpine National Park.
The proposal by the Coalition to allow "strategic" grazing to reduce fire fuel loads has been described as a "good start."
- Should the alpine grazing ban be lifted? Click here to vote now
- Have Your Say in the form below
Nationals leader Peter Ryan and agriculture spokesman Peter Walsh told the Mountain Cattlemen Association Victoria's Get Together in Gippsland at the weekend that a Coalition government would reinstate grazing in the Alpine National Park to reduce fire risk on public land.
Mr Walsh said the mountain cattlemen would work with public land managers to decide when and how many cattle were to be grazed in the park.
He said it was stupid not to use cattle as one of the fire-management tools.
"They would be used on the alpine meadows, where they would do less damage than a controlled burn," Mr Walsh said.
He said the plan was not about returning the leases that were cancelled in 2005.
Mr Walsh said the role of grazing in reducing the severity of fire had been ignored by the Government.
Association vice-president Charlie Commins said the Opposition should be applauded on their decision to use cattle as a fire management tool.
"I think it's common sense if they want to have any hope of reducing the intensity of fires and reducing the damage that is done by fires," Mr Commins said.
He said there was evidence to show grazing reduced the intensity of fires.
Mr Commins said fires that hit the grazed high-country meadows "virtually went out".
He said the Opposition plan was a step in the right direction.
"We need to use every tool in the fire-management toolbox," Mr Commins said.
A spokesman for Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said the supposed strategic grazing policy was vague and light on detail and would only create confusion for graziers about when and where they were able to run their cattle.
"It would no doubt open the floodgates for uncontrolled and destructive grazing," the spokesman said.
"There is a mountain of evidence indicating how damaging cattle grazing is in the high country and no real evidence that it reduces fire risk."
