Firestick Fund: Kimberley Carbon Cattle Conservation Culture Project (Revoked)

Firestick Fund: Kimberley Carbon Cattle Conservation Culture Project (Revoked) was a savanna fire management project located in the remote Central Kimberley region of Western Australia. Situated approximately 280km east of Derby and 260km west of Kununurra, the project area covered a massive 501,530 hectares of rugged terrain near the Gibb River Road. The project was registered on May 6, 2016, but was subsequently revoked on June 5, 2018.

The project operated under the Savanna Fire Management (2015) methodology, specifically targeting the "low rainfall zone" (600–1000mm annually). This methodology involves strategic, cool-burning of savanna areas during the early dry season (EDS) to reduce the fuel load. By doing so, proponents aim to prevent high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season (LDS), thereby reducing the overall emission of greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide. The project's title suggests a hybrid land-use model attempting to integrate cattle grazing operations with Indigenous cultural conservation practices.

The region is characterized by a tropical monsoonal climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The environment typically consists of sandstone ranges with skeletal, sandy soils, interspersed with alluvial valleys and plains featuring clay and loam soils suitable for the pastoral activities mentioned in the project title.

A key note for this project is its revocation under Section 30 of the CFI Rule, which typically indicates a voluntary revocation request by the proponent. Prior to its cancellation, the project underwent a variation in March 2017 where specific areas were removed, hinting at potential land tenure or boundary complexities, common issues in the Kimberley where pastoral leases and Native Title rights often intersect.