Mainoru Savanna Burning Project

Mainoru Savanna Burning Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located on Mainoru Station, approximately 250 kilometers east of Katherine in the Northern Territory. Registered in September 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 132,311 hectares within the Roper Gulf region. The project is situated on a working pastoral lease which is historically known for managing both cattle and water buffalo.

The project operates under the Savanna Fire Management methodology, which involves conducting strategic, planned burns during the early dry season (cool burns). These controlled fires create breaks in the landscape and reduce fuel loads, preventing the spread of high-intensity, destructive wildfires during the late dry season. This shift in fire regime reduces the emission of potent greenhouse gases, specifically methane and nitrous oxide, earning Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for the abatement achieved.

Environmentally, the project area lies within the wet-dry tropics, characterized by distinct seasonal rainfall. The project is notable for straddling the boundary between the high and low rainfall zones, a factor that necessitated the variation to the 2015 methodology determination. The landscape typically features tropical savanna vegetation supported by soils that are predominantly red earths (Kandosols) and sandy loams (Tenosols), common to the Top End and Roper River catchment.

The project is a partnership between the landholders, Hayes Enterprises (NT) Pty Ltd, and carbon service provider Corporate Carbon Solutions. Mainoru Station itself is a well-known stopover on the Central Arnhem Road, hosting the Mainoru Outstation Store. The presence of water buffalo on the station adds a unique dimension to the land management challenges and strategies employed alongside the fire management program.