South East Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project (SEALFA) Project

South East Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project (SEALFA) Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area (SEAL IPA) in the Northern Territory. Situated approximately 60km northwest of the remote coastal community of Numbulwar and roughly 250km east of Katherine, the project spans an impressive 522,164.52 hectares. It was officially registered on August 18, 2015.

The region comprises vast tracts of Aboriginal freehold land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT) 1976. Unlike commercial agricultural zones, land use here is deeply tied to environmental conservation, traditional cultural practices, and indigenous stewardship. The environment is typical of the monsoonal Top End, classified as a high rainfall savanna zone that receives over 1000mm of rain annually. The landscape is characterised by tropical savanna woodlands, rugged sandstone escarpments, and floodplains, while the soils are predominantly lateritic and sandy, transitioning to alluvial clays near the coastal and river systems.

This project currently operates under the Emissions Abatement through Savanna Fire Management 2015 methodology. Savanna fire management projects involve conducting strategic, highly controlled early dry season burning. By systematically reducing and managing fuel loads early in the season when conditions are cooler, the project prevents the outbreak of large, hot, and highly destructive wildfires in the late dry season. This proactive approach significantly reduces the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere. The project initially operated under a 2013 methodology but was successfully transitioned to the 2015 determination on January 25, 2017.

A particularly interesting fact about SEALFA is its deep integration with Indigenous empowerment. The proponent, ALFA (NT) Limited, is a registered charity and an entirely Aboriginal-owned, not-for-profit carbon farming business that serves as the largest producer of savanna burning Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The intensive on-ground fire management is implemented collaboratively by the Ngukurr-based Yugul Mangi Rangers and the Numbulwar Numburindi Rangers. All income generated from the sale of the carbon credits is reinvested back into these traditional owner and ranger groups to fund ongoing land management, preserve traditional ecological knowledge, and support community development aspirations across Arnhem Land.