Insights into the biodiversity and social benchmarking components of the Northern Australian fire management and carbon abatement programmes

Abstract

Summary Much of northern Australia’s tropical savannas are subject to annual intense and extensive late dry season wildfires, much of this occurring on Aboriginal land. Based on the successful West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (WALFA) model, which has resulted in significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, fire abatement programmes are planned for other significant regions of northern Australia. This study offers an introduction to the ideas behind a proposed environmental and social benchmarking project that aims to evaluate the potential benefits of expanding the fire abatement program in northern Australia, under the leadership of NAILSMA and its partners. Gaining a better understanding of the biodiversity, social and cultural outcomes of these fire abatement activities is an important component of demonstrating multiple benefits of these programmes. We emphasize the role of both biodiversity and cultural mapping to establish benchmarks and baseline states, with the involvement of Indigenous communities being a key element to optimize social and biodiversity benefits. Consultation with Traditional Owners and ranger groups to establish an agreed set of targets, indicators and sampling protocols and methodologies are critical component of this process. Examples of preliminary work to date are provided.

The Many Elements of Traditional Fire Knowledge: Synthesis, Classification, and Aids to Cross-cultural Problem Solving in Fire-dependent Systems Around the World

“…As in other kinds of natural resource management, cross-cultural problem solving about vegetation fires is complex and uncomfortable, but it can be done (Bohensky andMaru 2011, Mason et al 2012). Northern Australia's West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project is a striking example of success, in which TFK is not only being used to manage fire-adapted landscapes, but also to achieve social-ecological objectives in carbon cycling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Fitzsimons et al 2012).…”

“…Vélez, unpublished manuscript). The case of Australia stands as a progressive example in which indigenous fire knowledge is being incorporated into fire management that includes goals for carbon cycling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Fitzsimons et al 2012).…”

Community owned solutions for fire management in tropical ecosystems: case studies from Indigenous communities of South America

“…The case of Australia is heralded as a progressive example in which Indigenous fire knowledge is being incorporated into market-based instruments for fire management that includes goals for carbon cycling and reducing GHG emissions [58,59]. Savanna fire management in northern Australia, where early dry-season prescribed burns are used to prevent late dry-season wildfires, is an approved offset methodology under Australia's Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) [60].…”

The impacts of fire on birds in Australia's tropical savannas

“…At the very least, such initiatives serve to provide fire-management accountability, as fires must be rigorously documented against pre-defined performance expectations or financially binding contracts, sometimes with some secondary biodiversity benchmarking (e.g. Fitzsimons et al 2012). To a limited but increasing extent, pastoralists are also entering this carbon market, with its chief instrument of fire management and consequential reduction of carbon-equivalent emissions (Douglass et al 2011).…”