Claravale Fire Project

Claravale Fire Project is a savanna fire management project located at Claravale Station, approximately 220km south of Darwin and 90km northwest of Katherine in the Northern Territory. Registered in November 2016, the project covers a massive area of 67,181 hectares within the Daly River catchment. The region is primarily defined by pastoral leases used for cattle grazing, with the project area specifically encompassing the Claravale pastoral lease.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Emissions Abatement through Savanna Fire Management) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology incentivizes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by shifting the fire regime from high-intensity late dry season wildfires to cooler, controlled early dry season burns. By strategically burning in the early dry season when vegetation is still moist, the project aims to create fire breaks that limit the spread and intensity of naturally occurring wildfires later in the year, thereby reducing overall emissions.

Situated in the Top End's high rainfall zone, the Claravale area experiences a distinct wet and dry season typical of the tropical savanna climate. The landscape is characterized by open eucalypt woodlands and tall grasses growing on soils that range from deep red earths to sandy loams and river alluvials near the Daly River. The presence of the river system supports a diverse ecosystem, including significant riparian vegetation and habitats for species such as the ghost bat.

The project proponent, James Benjamin Lewis, is associated with the management of the station, while Votia Pty Ltd participates as an aggregator or service provider known for managing multiple savanna burning projects in the Northern Territory. Notably, the Claravale property has attracted broader public attention in recent years due to debates surrounding land clearing for agricultural developments like cotton, highlighting the complex balance between carbon abatement activities and agricultural expansion in the region.