Drysdale River NP - Savanna Burning Project

Drysdale River NP - Savanna Burning Project is a savanna fire management project located in the remote Drysdale River National Park in the North Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project area covers approximately 446,844 hectares and is situated roughly 300 kilometers west of Kununurra. Registered in December 2020, this project is managed by the Conservation and Land Management Executive Body, which operates under the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). As a National Park, the primary land use is conservation and wilderness protection, with no public vehicle access available to the area.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Savanna Fire Management, Emissions Avoidance) Methodology Determination 2018. This methodology involves strategic fire management activities, such as aerial incendiary dropping and ground burning, conducted during the early dry season (typically January to July). The goal is to create a mosaic of cool, patchy burns that reduce the fuel load, thereby preventing large-scale, high-intensity wildfires in the late dry season. By shifting the fire regime, the project avoids the higher emissions of methane and nitrous oxide associated with hot, uncontrolled wildfires.

Environmental conditions in the North Kimberley are characterized as a high rainfall zone, receiving over 1,000mm of annual rainfall, predominantly during the monsoonal wet season (November to April). The landscape consists of a rugged sandstone plateau with extensive river systems, gorges, and waterfalls. The soils are typically shallow and sandy, derived from the ancient sandstone bedrock, supporting open woodlands and hummock grasslands.

An interesting aspect of this project is its location within the largest national park in the Kimberley, which is known for its biodiversity and lack of modern infrastructure. Unlike many other savanna projects managed by Indigenous corporations or private landholders, this project is directly administered by the state conservation body. The registered start date in late 2020 suggests this project likely transitioned from an earlier fire management determination to the updated 2018 methodology to continue its abatement activities.