FARMING PROGRESS USING TRADITIONAL FIRE KNOWLEDGE: UNITING COMMUNITIES AND TRANSFORMING LANDSCAPES

As the first ever Nature Positive Global Summit draws near, we look at an extraordinary partnership between NQ Dry Tropics, the Firesticks Alliance, WWF-Australia, Gugu Badhun Traditional Owners, and local graziers is harnessing the power of Traditional Knowledge to heal the land, unite communities, and pave the way for a more sustainable future.

In the sun-baked grasslands of North Queensland, an extraordinary partnership between NQ Dry Tropics, the Firesticks Alliance, WWF-Australia, Gugu Badhun Traditional Owners, and local graziers is harnessing the power of Traditional Knowledge to heal the land, unite communities, and pave the way for a more sustainable, Nature Positive future.

This innovative project, bringing together Traditional Owners, graziers, and environmental organisations, demonstrates the power of Indigenous Knowledge in addressing some of our most pressing environmental challenges.

A Burning Desire for Change

When grazier Barry O’Sullivan arrived at Jervoise Station from Glenalpine Station (86km north-west of Bowen in Queensland), he was very keen to hear some new ideas. So when Uncle Victor Steffensen, proud Tagalaka man, cultural burning expert and co-founder of the Firesticks Alliance began to speak, he was all ears.

Barry was halfway through an over 1000km round trip just to hear his words. Though the Knowledge Uncle Victor shared was anything but new, the learnings were fresh ground for Barry.

Following the devastating bushfires of 2019-20, it became clear that how landscapes are managed in Australia is something we have the potential to do better. The NQ Dry Tropics Traditional Owner Management Group raised concerns that the health of Country under their Traditional Custodianship was suffering due to the absence of right-way fire practices, particularly on pastoral land.

This realisation sparked what would become the Cultural Fire Management for Grazing Landscapes project, a collaboration between groups that haven’t worked together in this way very often before.

At the heart of this initiative is the revival of cultural burning – an Indigenous practice that has shaped and nurtured the Australian landscape for tens of thousands of years. By reintroducing these time-tested techniques, the project aims to restore ecological balance, improve grazing land, and build stronger connections between people and Country.]

Learning from the Land's First Caretakers

Uncle Victor has been instrumental in guiding this transformative process that is already bringing positive change out on Country. "We started with landscapes on Jervoise Station that were totally choked up, and unviable," he explains.

 "We've opened up those areas, brought back grass, and reclaimed the land in a way that makes their livelihood a lot more fruitful."

This approach represents a significant shift from conventional land management practices. Instead of clearing old trees and fighting against nature, graziers are now learning to work in harmony with the land, using fire as a tool for regeneration rather than destruction.

Using right-way fire, fire can be a friend to grazing land rather than a foe.

Overcoming Fear, Embracing Knowledge

For many farmers, the idea of deliberately lighting fires on their property was once unthinkable. Ashton Smith, a fourth-generation farmer at Jervoise Station, admits that "most graziers fear fire." However, under Victor's guidance, she and her partner Elliot have gained the confidence to use cultural burning techniques safely and effectively.

To the Smiths, the results have been astonishing. "In some areas, the response to a first burn has been phenomenal," Elliot shares, "with fresh green palatable grass and the cattle getting straight into it." For those taking part, Knowledge sharing isn’t about completely rewriting the rule book, it’s about adding new chapters and giving existing ones a second look through a collaborative lens.

Empowering the Next Generation

Beyond improving the land, this project is also nurturing the next generation of Indigenous land managers. Victor Steffensen emphasises the importance of mentoring emerging First Nations conservation leaders, helping them reconnect with their cultural heritage and create meaningful employment opportunities on Country.

Dr Janine Gertz, a Gugu Badhun Traditional Owner, sees the project as a way to bring ancient traditions into the modern era. "Graziers and Traditional Owners both want the same thing, which is healthy, productive land," she notes. "Healthy land makes healthy Gugu Badhun people."

A Model for Nature Positive Action

As we approach the Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney this October, this North Queensland project stands as a shining example of Nature Positive work in action. It demonstrates that by embracing Indigenous Knowledge and fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders, we can achieve tangible benefits for people, wildlife, and the planet.

Karen Vidler, Partnerships Coordinator at NQ Dry Tropics, highlights the project's holistic impact: "It's not just cattle and pasture that benefit from cultural burning, it also helps native species and protects against destructive bushfires."

Indeed, sensor cameras on Jervoise Station have captured images of thriving native wildlife, including black stripe wallabies, common wallaroos, emus, and swamp wallabies – all benefiting from the restored habitat.

A Blueprint for a Sustainable Future

At WWF-Australia, we believe that projects like this are crucial to achieving our goal of Regenerating Nature by 2030. Cliff Cobbo, our First Nations Principal Advisor, emphasises the broader implications: "Our farmers and our graziers right across this continent need to be part of nature-based solutions. That starts with embedding First Nations Knowledge into their farming systems."

The success of this cultural burning partnership in North Queensland offers a blueprint for how we can address environmental challenges across Australia and beyond. By bringing together traditional wisdom and modern land management practices, we can create resilient landscapes that support biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and thriving communities.

As we face the twin crises of global heating and biodiversity loss, it's clear that we need innovative, collaborative approaches that work with nature, not against it. This project shows us that the knowledge to heal our land has been here all along – we just need to listen to those who have been its caretakers for millennia.

By supporting initiatives like this and amplifying Indigenous voices in conservation, we can create a future where people and nature thrive together. It's time to embrace the ancient wisdom that can help us build a more sustainable, equitable, and Nature Positive world for generations to come.

 At WWF-Australia, we believe in a Nature Positive future - where we halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, leading to full recovery by 2050. This means a thriving natural world with clean air, fresh water and a stable climate for all.

To achieve this, we need your help to act now.

Now is the time to call for bold action and leadership from government – nature depends on it.

Join us today to start a new, positive chapter for people and nature.

Your voice matters – add it now!

The Cultural Fire Management for Grazing Landscapes project, funded through WWF-Australia’s Indigenous Fire Management Program, is delivered by NQ Dry Tropics under the guidance of the Traditional Owner Management Group in partnership between Traditional Owners of the region, graziers, WWF-Australia, Firesticks Alliance, Indigenous ranger groups, and the Rural Fire Service.