Olkola Ajin - Olkola Fire Project

Olkola Ajin - Olkola Fire Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the southern central Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Situated in a remote region approximately 140km south of Coen and west of Cooktown, the project covers a massive expanse of approximately 869,909 hectares. It was registered in December 2014 and is managed by the Olkola Aboriginal Corporation, representing the Traditional Owners of the land. The area is primarily designated for Indigenous conservation and cultural land management, having been returned to the Olkola people to form one of the largest private landholdings in the Cape.

The project operates under the Savanna Fire Management methodology (High Rainfall Zone). This method generates carbon credits by shifting the fire regime from high-intensity, late dry season wildfires to cooler, controlled burns conducted in the early dry season. By strategically burning during cooler months (typically May to July), the project reduces the fuel load, thereby preventing uncontrollable wildfires later in the year that release significant amounts of methane and nitrous oxide.

Environmentally, the region falls within the high rainfall zone of the tropical savanna, experiencing distinct wet and dry seasons. The landscape is characterized by open woodlands and vast termite mound plains, with soils predominantly consisting of sandy earths (Kandosols) and lateritic remnants typical of the Cape York interior. The project area includes significant cultural sites and habitats, such as those for the Golden-shouldered parrot (Alwal), an Olkola totem and endangered species that relies on specific fire regimes for nesting habitat protection.

An interesting facet of this project is its name, "Olkola Ajin," which translates to "Olkola people set fire." While originally established with Corporate Carbon Solutions as a joint participant, the project transitioned back to the sole management of the Olkola Aboriginal Corporation in late 2022. Additionally, the project successfully completed its government abatement contract (CAC310857) in 2022 and has since moved into voluntary market sales, including a notable offtake agreement with Environmental Commodity Partners.