Shared responsibilities and barriers to community-led action

Anecdotal evidence suggests that community-based, grassroots initiatives linked to natural places and spaces face complex legal, bureaucratic, financial and technical barriers in fuel reduction and bushfire mitigation management. This project will examine the concept of ‘shared responsibility’ for these groups, to gain a deeper understanding of the possible actions that can be progressed towards bushfire mitigation. The aim of this project is to bridge the gap between community awareness of bushfire risks and proactive risk reduction actions, and develop an understanding of the challenges faced by community groups as they navigate the complex landscape of fire and fuel management.

Using a literature review and content analysis of available policy documents on ‘shared responsibility’, the team will host a webinar for relevant stakeholders and practitioners to further understand the messaging from different viewpoints of shared responsibility in bushfire mitigation initiatives and identify systematic barriers that may need broader policy attention.