Northwest Arnhem Land Fire Abatement

Northwest Arnhem Land Fire Abatement is a savanna fire management project located in the remote West Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory. The project area is situated approximately 60km north of the indigenous community of Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) and covers a substantial 665,192 hectares of Aboriginal freehold land. Registered in December 2022, the project operates within the West Arnhem Shire, a region primarily dedicated to indigenous land management, conservation, and cultural activities rather than conventional agriculture.

The project utilizes the 2018 Savanna Fire Management (Emissions Avoidance) methodology. This involves conducting strategic, cool burns during the early dry season to reduce the fuel load across the landscape. By fragmenting the fuel, these planned burns prevent the spread of high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires during the late dry season, thereby avoiding significant emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. This approach mimics traditional Aboriginal burning practices that have shaped the Australian landscape for thousands of years.

Ecologically, the region falls within the high rainfall zone of the tropical savannas, receiving over 1,000mm of rain annually during the wet season. The terrain is characterized by rugged sandstone plateaus and escarpments, supporting vegetation such as Eucalypt open forests and sandstone heath. The soils in this area are typically sandy or skeletal (Rudosols and Tenosols) on the rocky plateaus, with iron-rich red earths (Kandosols) found in the lowlands. The proponent, ALFA (NT) Limited, is an Aboriginal-owned non-profit that coordinates these fire abatement activities to generate carbon credits, the revenue from which is reinvested into local Ranger groups and community development.