King Leopold Ranges CP - Savanna Burning Project

King Leopold Ranges CP - Savanna Burning Project is a savanna fire management project located in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges (formerly King Leopold Ranges) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project area is situated approximately 150km northeast of Derby and covers a vast 390,298.20 hectares. Registered in November 2018, the project operates on conservation land managed by the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), specifically within the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges Conservation Park.

Savanna fire management projects involve the strategic burning of savannas during the early dry season (usually cooler and damper conditions) to reduce the fuel load. This practice limits the frequency and intensity of uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season, thereby avoiding the higher greenhouse gas emissions associated with hot, high-intensity fires.

The Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges are characterized by a rugged sandstone escarpment with skeletal, stony soils and patches of basalt. The region experiences a tropical monsoonal climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. While the project register notes activities in both high and low rainfall areas, the specific operational focus for this project is on the low rainfall zone (receiving less than 1,000mm annually), where preventing late-season wildfires is critical for preserving biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.

A significant note for this project is the renaming of the location. In July 2020, the King Leopold Ranges were officially renamed the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges to honor the traditional Ngarinyin and Bunuba owners and remove the association with King Leopold II of Belgium. The project continues to operate under its original registration ID despite the geographic renaming.