International Savanna Fire Management Initiative

31st March 2021, 9 am  Europe (CET) | 6 pm AEDT

In this talk, Ari Gorring presented examples of cultural fire management from northern Australian perspective and Sam Johnston  introduced the International Savanna Fire Management Initiative and its focus on revitalising Indigenous fire practices globally. A summary of the research and science that underpins the  savanna fire method which proves that cultural fire practices reduce GHG emissions and wildfire, revitalise cultural practices and create jobs for people in rural and remote areas was also presented.

Facilitators: Kerryn Little & Sarah Meier 

Ari has over 20 years of experience working with the Kimberley Land Council in Indigenous led cultural conservation, community development and native title. For over a decade Ari worked with a team and many partners to establish a system of Indigenous Protected Areas covering 90,000km2 – ¼ of the Kimberley region – managed by the Kimberley Ranger Network employing more than 100 Indigenous cultural conservation managers. In recent times, Ari led the registration of the North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project which now an Indigenous owned savanna carbon project covering an area of 32,000 km2 that has generated and sold into compliance and voluntary markets over 555,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units.

Sam developed, managed and successfully delivered the first phase of the International Savanna Fire Management Initiative feasibility study from 2011-2015. He has worked on the technology around the world for over a decade. Sam also has over 20 years’ experience in delivering international climate and development projects for a range of donors. He is a qualified legal practitioner in Australia and has 29 years of legal experience in many developed countries and developing countries across all regions of the world. He also has 25 years of relevant experience in international legal practice, in a wide variety of contexts, including in private practice, an international merchant bank, the UN and two of the most internationally prominent universities.