Collaborative Research on the Ecology and Management of the ‘Wulo’ Monsoon Rainforest in Wunambal Gaambera Country, North Kimberley, Australia

Abstract

Indigenous groups are increasingly combining traditional ecological knowledge and Western scientific approaches to inform the management of their lands. We report the outcomes of a collaborative research project focused on key ecological questions associated with monsoon vine thickets in Wunambal Gaambera country (Kimberley region, Western Australia). The study mapped monsoon rainforests and analysed the environmental correlates of their current distribution, as well as the historical drivers of patch dynamics since 1949. Remote sensing was used to chart the effectiveness of an intervention designed to re-instate Aboriginal fire regimes according to customary principles. We identified the most vulnerable patches based on size, distance from neighbouring patches, and fire frequency. More than 6000 rainforest patches were mapped. Most were small (<1 ha), occurring predominantly on nutrient-rich substrates (e.g., basalt) and fire-sheltered topographic settings (e.g., slopes and valleys). Rainforests with low fire frequency and no cattle were more likely to expand into surrounding long-unburnt savannas. Frequent fires and cattle did not cause substantial contraction, although the latter affected rainforest understories through trampling. Fire management performed by Aboriginal rangers effectively shifted fire regimes from high-intensity late dry season fires to early dry season fires, particularly in areas with clusters of vulnerable rainforests. The remote sensing methods developed in this project are applicable to the long-term monitoring of rainforest patches on Aboriginal-managed land in North Kimberley, providing tools to evaluate the impacts of fire management, feral animal control, and climate change. The study confirmed the importance of the cattle-free and rarely burnt Bougainville Peninsula as one of the most important rainforest areas in Western Australia.

Preface: Special Issue on Wildland Fires

“…This study synthesized environmental information, historical datasets, and remote sensing imagery to evaluate the effectiveness of reinstating Aboriginal fire regimes on the current distribution and patch dynamics of the monsoon rainforests. As would be expected, [16] identified that the rainforests would expand into patches when fires occurred with low frequency and cattle were not present. However, [16] noted that in high-frequency fire regimes with cattle present, the rainforest did not produce more patches, but rather the understory would be suppressed through trampling and fine-scale fuel consumption.…”

“…Three of the papers in this Special Issue deal with stand heterogeneity and patches. In [16], the long-term persistence of patches in monsoon rainforests of Western Australia and the role of Aboriginal burning practices in sustaining them were evaluated. In [5], the characteristics surrounding unburned islands and peninsulas were discussed.…”

“…In [16], the outcomes of a large project focused on coupling traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and Western scientific approaches around ecological research questions of monsoon vine thickets in Western Australia. This study synthesized environmental information, historical datasets, and remote sensing imagery to evaluate the effectiveness of reinstating Aboriginal fire regimes on the current distribution and patch dynamics of the monsoon rainforests.…”

“…This Special Issue was established to solicit contributions from a wide array of wildland fire topics. Although only five articles were published [5,8,[16][17][18], this Special Issue helped set the foundation for the formation of a new MDPI journal, Fire [19].…”

A flexible tool to prioritize areas for conservation combining landscape units, measures of biodiversity, and threats

“…A high proportion of these errant bioregions fall under the denomination of traditional indigenous uses (e.g., Central Arnhem = 98%, MacDonnell Ranges = 48%, and Tiwi Cobourg = 72%). While not officially listed under the category nature conservation, these areas are often managed for conservation by local Aboriginal groups, based on traditional ecological knowledge (Yibarbuk et al 2001, Vigilante et al 2017) and as such are not likely to be at high risk of being degraded by future anthropogenic development.…”