Prince Regent NP - Savanna Burning Project

Prince Regent NP - Savanna Burning Project is a savanna fire management project located within the remote Prince Regent National Park in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, approximately 370km west of Kununurra. It was registered on April 18, 2016, and covers a vast area of 576,379.43 hectares.

Savanna fire management projects involve strategic and planned prescribed burning during the early dry season. By carefully managing fuel loads with low-intensity, patchy fires when weather conditions are cooler and moisture levels are higher, the size and intensity of unmanaged, highly destructive late dry season wildfires are significantly reduced. This methodology directly mitigates the release of greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere.

The Prince Regent National Park sits within a tropical monsoonal climate zone, classified primarily as a high-rainfall area that experiences a short, heavy wet season between November and April, followed by a virtually rain-free dry season. The rugged local environment features deep gorges, deeply weathered Precambrian sandstones, basalt, and lateritic soils. Land use in the immediate region is strictly dedicated to nature conservation and traditional Indigenous practices, while the broader Kimberley region also supports pastoral grazing and tourism operations.

This project was initially registered under the name "Wildlife protection and conservation through improved ecosystem scale management" before taking on its current name in March 2018. Over the project's lifespan, its participant registry has evolved, moving from the Department of Parks and Wildlife to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and finally transitioning to the Conservation and Land Management Executive Body in August 2020.

A unique aspect of this project is its deep integration with traditional ecological knowledge; the early dry season burning is conducted in collaboration with Traditional Owners, such as the Wunambal Gaambera and Worrorra peoples, blending ancient land management practices with modern scientific methodologies to improve biodiversity. Furthermore, the project area itself is of global ecological significance, it encompasses the spectacular King Cascades and Mount Trafalgar, serves as a vital refuge for threatened Kimberley fauna, and was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1978.