Cultural Fire Safeguarding Communities

Under the Cultural fire safeguarding communities project, Traditional Owners and grazing land managers will work together to address land management challenges in the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM region, using nature-based solutions (NbS). 

NbS are actions to protect, manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems to reduce impacts caused by challenges like climate change, disaster risk, and food and water security.

These solutions harness the power of nature to provide benefits for people and the environment simultaneously.

Led by the Burdekin Dry Tropics Traditional Owner Management Group, in collaboration with Traditional Owners, Indigenous partners and grazing land managers, the project will facilitate Indigenous-led cultural fire practices on grazing landscapes on Gudjala and Bindal Country, to reduce bushfire risk, increase resilience to climate threats, and support productive enterprises.

The project will support the development of Indigenous-led monitoring tools to capture how Cultural fire management reduces bushfire risk, and provides additional co-benefits for nature and people.

It will leverage existing partnerships in the region to develop a scalable model of Indigenous ranger-led cultural fire management, building on the results, momentum and lessons learnt from the recently-completed proof of concept project, Cultural Fire Management for Grazing Landscapes, funded by WWF-Australia and delivered by NQ Dry Tropics in partnership with Firesticks Alliance, Traditional Owners, and graziers. 

The project will further build the capacity and knowledge of Traditional Owners and regional cultural fire practitioners; promote community awareness and respect for cultural knowledge; and support landholders to achieve healthier, more climate-resilient grazing landscapes. 

Monitoring and evaluation will lead to a greater understanding of the depth of co-benefits derived from investing in supporting Traditional Owners to lead cultural fire management. These co-benefits include:

• reducing bushfire impact; 
• building community and landscape resilience to severe events such as droughts and floods;
• supporting the development of Indigenous ranger groups to lead cultural fire management activities;
• enhancing vegetation condition;
• increasing cultural fire practitioner skills, networks, and ability in the regions; and
• helping to address other grazing land management issues. 

By linking in with other NQ Dry Tropics activities, this project will leverage investment towards building the capacity of Traditional Owners, including Indigenous rangers, to lead delivery of cultural fire management activities across the region.

It will deliver lasting environmental, economic, and social benefits for Traditional Owners, graziers, and the wider community.

The project is part of a wider National Nature-led Resilience Program, led by NRM Regions Australia, which aims to improve awareness of, and increase investment in, NbS for reducing climate risks like flood and bushfire.

Project results and insights will contribute to the development of a NbS national impact indicator framework.