Contribution and participation of Indigenous fire projects within the Savanna Burning Industry

Jennifer Ansell ALFA (NT) Limited

Rhys Swain, Kimberley Land Council

Development of the Savanna Burning Methodology

• Indigenous knowledge the foundation of the methodology and savanna burning industry

• Developed on Aboriginal Land to address key management concerns

• WALFA project

• Opportunity to earn carbon credits through fire management

• Important industry for regional and remote Indigenous Australians

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NT QLD WA

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• 78 registered savanna burning projects

• Successful uptake of the methodology within the Indigenous estate

Savanna Burning projects

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• Takes time and resources to develop capacity to engage with the industry

• Support from Government and non-Government critical in enabling the project uptake we see today

Project Registrations

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NT QLD WA

non-indigenousACCUs

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ACCU Production

• 4,078,963 ACCUs issued to savanna burning methodology

• Currently accounts for 8.9 % of total ACCU issuance across all methodologies

• To date over 70 % of the ACCUs have been produced by indigenous savanna projects

KLC - overview of projects • North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project

• Registered under the 2013 method

• In 2015 all projects transferred to the 2015 method to allow projects to operate in the 600mm – 1000mm rainfall zone

• Karunjie and Durack River • Registered in 2017

• Partnering with Indigenous Land Corporation and The Nature Conservancy

• Kija • Rangelands NRM

• Over 4 Indigenous owned pastoral leases in east Kimberley

• Feasibility study conducted for other low rainfall • Dampier Peninsular

• Fitzroy Valley

• Great Sandy Desert

KLC – Maps, pictures

Strengths

• Leveraging – fire management as a mechanism to get people back out on country, fire walks, camps, and a land management practice that multiple generations have interest in.

• Collaboration – varying capabilities yet to some degree all our projects work together (and improved relationships across borders) borders)

Challenges

• Viability – most successful projects still barely break even, and those not yet registered are even less viable. Therefore our projects are successful in terms of funding fire ops and getting people on country – but are limited in scope compared to ALFA.

• Capacity – resources, rangers, $$

• Respect for Indigenous projects – heat from tourism industry, some pastoral and environmental enterprises adopting a pretty patriarchal approach to engaging e.g. not respecting PBCs, not seeking consent. (Noting that the savanna method was born out of traditional indigenous fire practices)

Opportunities • Regional approach to fire management • Tall Acacia method

• West Kimberley

• Indigenous-owned carbon businesses to share costs • Realising other benefits • Exporting knowledge

• Botswana initiative announced at COP 23 • International recognition of Australian Traditional Knowledge

Djelk WLML Adjumarlarl Mimal Jawoyn ASRAC

Traditional Landowners ALFA Membership

CEO

ALFA staff

ALFA (NT) Ltd Board Two Directors from each ward

SEAL Yirralka

Arafura Swamp Rangers

Aboriginal Corporation

Lessons from Arnhem fire projects

• Recent positive changes in fire management in Arnhem Land the direct result of adoption of savanna burning methodology

• Income received from carbon projects enables Aboriginal ranger programs to improve land management capacity, particularly prescribed burning and fire-fighting activities

• Cohesive, regional approach to fire management

• Focus on partnerships

• Development of successful Indigenous carbon business targeted to needs of fire projects in Arnhem Land

Indigenous Savanna Burning Projects - Moving forward

• Successful uptake of projects to date within the Indigenous estate

• Inclusion of sequestration in the methodology the next big opportunity

• Future ERF markets and shifting from lowest cost abatement

• Role of State and Territory Governments in development of new carbon market opportunities

• Valuing and marketing co-benefits

• Indigenous Carbon Industry Network