2015•06•02

Overview of the International Savanna Fire Management Initiative

Traditional fire management (TFM) recognises indigenous people have been managing the land for generations by lighting low-intensity, early dry season fires to create fire breaks and prevent the build up of ground vegetation. In the absence of managed burning, fuel build up often leads to more intense, destructive fires in the late dry season.

The International Savanna Fire Management Initiative is an Australian Government funded project. It draws from the successful Australian experience of methodology based, community led savanna fire management. Through the sale of carbon credits generated, this type of savanna fire management has created incomes for remote indigenous communities, reduced emissions and protected biodiversity in the tropical north of Australia.

The UNU initial assessment in this two-year project is showing that this traditional approach to land management is globally relevant and has the potential to be applied to other regions. This summary provides a brief outline of the initial key findings of the assessment and the next steps.

Download PDF overview here.