Mapoon Carbon Project

The Mapoon Carbon Project is a savanna fire management project located on the traditional lands of the Mapoon community, approximately 80km north of Weipa on the western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. Registered in October 2014, the project covers a massive area of approximately 175,588 hectares. The region is primarily defined by Indigenous land use, where the Old Mapoon Aboriginal Corporation and local Land and Sea Rangers manage the landscape for cultural maintenance and conservation.

This project operates under the Savanna Fire Management methodology, specifically targeting the high rainfall zone (receiving over 1,000mm annually). The core activity involves strategic "cool" burning during the early dry season to reduce the fuel load. By doing so, the project prevents large-scale, high-intensity wildfires that typically occur in the late dry season. These late-season fires burn hotter and release significantly more greenhouse gases (methane and nitrous oxide) than the controlled early-season burns.

The environmental conditions of the western Cape York Peninsula are characterized by a tropical monsoonal climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The area is famous for its extensive bauxite deposits, resulting in widespread red lateritic soils (often classified as Kandosols) and earthy sands that support the native savanna vegetation.

An interesting aspect of this project is its strong focus on social co-benefits. The project is managed by the Old Mapoon Aboriginal Corporation, an organisation formed after families returned to their traditional country following forced removals in the 1960s. The carbon project directly supports the Mapoon Land and Sea Rangers, providing employment and resources that allow Traditional Owners to care for their country using a blend of traditional ecological knowledge and modern aerial incendiary technology.