Western Top End Savanna Fire Management Project - WTE SFM

Western Top End Savanna Fire Management Project - WTE SFM is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the West Daly region of the Northern Territory, surrounding the local community of Wadeye and approximately 250km southwest of Darwin. It was registered in December 2020 and covers a vast 1,398,231.16 hectares across the Daly River Port Keats Aboriginal Land Trust.

Savanna fire management emissions avoidance projects involve strategic early dry season burning. By conducting controlled, cooler fires earlier in the year, proponents effectively reduce the available grass and vegetation fuel loads. A standard requirement of this methodology is to carry out these planned burns before August to reduce the risk, intensity, and extent of highly destructive late dry season wildfires. The resulting burn scars are tracked via satellite, and the avoided greenhouse gas emissions (specifically methane and nitrous oxide) are modelled using approved calculators such as the Savanna Burning Abatement Tool (SavBAT 3).

The land use in the Thamarrurr region is heavily focused on traditional Indigenous land management, cultural heritage protection, and conservation. The project falls squarely within the high rainfall zone of Northern Australia, receiving over 1,000mm of rain annually. The environment is characterized by tropical savannas, which naturally grow on a mix of sandy loams and lateritic soils typical of the Top End, transitioning to heavier clay soils near the coastal and riverine floodplains of the Daly River.

Interestingly, the project is run by the Thamarrurr Development Corporation, a not-for-profit corporate entity owned by members of the region's traditional ceremonial groups and established by the 20 local clans. Managed in collaboration with the Thamarrurr Rangers, the carbon project provides vital local Indigenous employment, socio-economic development, and strives to foster economic independence for the community away from reliance on government subsidies. The project area has also been the focus of dedicated spatial research by Charles Darwin University, which conducted fine-scale habitat mapping and ecological threshold analysis to directly support their savanna fire management strategies. Furthermore, on December 24, 2024, the project was officially subdivided under section 23 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule.