Problem

Australia’s northern grasslands - a biodiversity hotspot, is the largest intact tropical savanna ecosystem on Earth. The grasslands are home to more than half of Australia’s bird species and around one-third of its mammal species. For centuries, Aboriginal people in Australia have maintained this diversity by utilising controlled fires. Controlled fires help them hunt, clear pathways through the land and regenerate vegetation. Scientific research has also confirmed that traditional fire management increases biodiversity and benefits the ecosystem, as many species rely on these small, controlled burns to create the right mix of habitat for them to survive. Burning early in the dry season, when it’s cooler and wetter, helps prevent large-scale wildfires in the later season, which burn significantly larger areas and therefore releases more greenhouse gases stored in vegetation. 

When European settlers arrived, many indigenous communities were forced off their land and were unable to care for their country with fire. In the last 200 years, Australia has a higher record of extinction of mammal species globally. 30 species (10%) of all terrestrial mammals in Australia have gone extinct, and a further 21% are currently threatened. 

Responses

In northern Australia, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) partners with Indigenous communities to integrate traditional fire practices with modern fire science, fostering ecosystem health and climate resilience. Through "Healthy Country Planning," communities define land management goals that honor social and cultural values, with controlled Indigenous burning as a central practice. This method, led by Indigenous rangers, involves lighting small, cool fires at specific times to manage the landscape effectively. As of 2021, 32 Indigenous-led fire projects spanning 17.9 million hectares, reducing emissions by approximately one million tonnes annually and generating $95 million in carbon credits since 2012. 

Beyond Australia, TNC scientists have identified 37 other countries where similar practices could abate up to 89.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents yearly. This work not only curbs carbon emissions and supports wildlife but also strengthens Indigenous communities, enabling cultural continuity and knowledge transfer between generations, thus reaffirming community ties to the land.

Find out more: The Nature Conservancy