LCV - Fire Preparation and Covenants

Speakers - Sharon Merritt, Lincoln Kern and Andrew Roach

When: Monday 12 October 2026, 6pm

Attend free online Webinar: The zoom meeting link will be emailed to registered attendees.

How do you prepare your property for fire while looking after the habitat you’ve protected? And what do you do when fire-safety advice and covenant priorities pull in different directions?

Join Land Covenantors Victoria for a practical panel discussion with people who understand both fire and conservation land. There are no formal presentations, we’ll put common landholder questions to the panel and welcome yours.

We’ll discuss what reasonable preparation might look like, how fuel management differs across grasslands, woodlands and bushland, and how you might manage requests for fire breaks, vegetation clearing and access. We’ll also talk about council fire-prevention notices, pressures from neighbours, and requests from fire authorities. Come along with your questions.

🌿Guest Speakers:

Sharon Merritt AFSM, CFA brigade captain - Sharon has nearly three decades of CFA experience as a volunteer and staff member, including work in vegetation management, planned burning and fire prevention. She has worked with landholders whose properties support valuable habitat and species, and has a genuine interest in helping them prepare ahead of fire season. Sharon also brings specialist knowledge of large animals in emergencies, particularly horses, which will be useful for members managing livestock or animals on their properties. She received the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2025 for her service to CFA and the community.

Lincoln Kern, Practical Ecology and LCV committee member - Lincoln has worked in ecological consultancy and restoration since 1993 and manages covenanted bush properties himself. He has worked with CFA and local councils on fire planning for conservation land, including management plans that consider tracks, access and firebreaks alongside habitat protection. He brings a landholder’s perspective on finding workable ways to meet fire-prevention requirements while caring for the bush.

Andrew Roach, Community Fire Safety and Environment Officer, Surf Coast Shire Council
Andrew has worked in fire, emergency and environmental management since 1998. As a ranger who has worked in the Alps, the Otways, the Grampians, and along the Great Ocean Road, he has experience balancing environmental values, cultural heritage, and recreational interests. He has been a fire fighter under the DEECA umbrella for 23 years. His role with local government involves working with landholders and the broader community. Andrew will bring a local council perspective to questions about expectations for fire prevention, neighbouring properties and the different needs of bush blocks and farms.