There was a time when Australian foresters kept Australian forests safe and
productive. They maintained access tracks bridges and fire breaks, undertook
prescribed burning, cleared flammable litter from the forest floor, cut
suckers, manned fire lookouts and maintained their own fire-fighting crews in
decentralised districts. University-trained professional foresters were
supported by tough experienced rangers who learned their job in the bush.
Almost every advance in bushfire management in Australia, from the science of
fire behaviour to aerial burning was thanks to our foresters. Into the 1980’s
they were regarded as international leaders.
