Mirarr Savanna Burning Project (Revoked)

Mirarr Savanna Burning Project (Revoked) was a Savanna Fire Management project located in the West Arnhem region of the Northern Territory, situated immediately adjacent to and surrounding the township of Jabiru. Registered in March 2017 and covering approximately 64,400 hectares, the project operated within the boundaries of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. The proponent was the Director of National Parks, working in conjunction with the Mirarr people, the Traditional Owners of the land which encompasses the Jabiluka and Ranger mineral leases and parts of the park.

The project employed the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Emissions Abatement through Savanna Fire Management) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology involves conducting strategic, planned burns during the early dry season (typically January to July) to reduce the fuel load. This practice mitigates the intensity and extent of uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions (specifically methane and nitrous oxide). The project was classified as operating in the "high rainfall area," a zone characterized by receiving more than 1,000mm of average annual rainfall.

The region features a tropical savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The landscape is dominated by open eucalypt woodlands and sandstone escarpments. The soils in this area, particularly around the Jabiru and Ranger lease regions, are predominantly Kandosols (massive red and yellow earths) and Tenosols (sandy soils), which are typical of the "Koolpinyah" surface found in the Top End. Land use in this area is primarily conservation and traditional Indigenous land management, though the project area neighbours the Ranger Uranium Mine site.

On March 11, 2022, the project was revoked under section 30 of the CFI Rule. While section 30 covers the voluntary revocation of a project declaration, in the context of savanna burning, such revocations frequently occur to allow projects to transition from the 2015 methodology to the newer 2018 methodology. The 2018 method allows proponents to claim credits for both emissions avoidance and carbon sequestration (storage in dead organic matter), offering a more comprehensive accounting of the carbon benefits.