On the Far South Coast of NSW, an innovative project to weave together Aboriginal cultural science and western science has been developed by the Applied Bushfire Science Program from NSW DCCEEW. The project is a partnership with the Merriman’s Local Aboriginal Land Council, with the aim to develop a community-led approach for participation in formal Bush Fire Risk Management (BFMC) processes.
BFMCs have representation from all land management agencies and organisations in NSW that have responsibility for bushfire management and emergency responses. While there has long been a position at the BFMC for Aboriginal representation, it has often not been filled, as representatives did not feel culturally safe or that their knowledge was ‘heard’ or included in planning. The NSW DCCEEW project has successfully developed an action research methodology to address this gap.
The approach overall can be broken down into the following steps:
1) Partner with Aboriginal community to co-develop an action research methodology
2) Reconnect community back to Country and culture through a kinship methodology that rebuilds relationships and knowledge sharing between Aboriginal groups in Southeastern NSW
3) Build the capacity and confidence of Aboriginal Rangers to better understand western fire management processes and language
4) Strengthen relationships between Aboriginal Rangers, RFS, NPWS, Crown Lands and Forestry Corporation.
5) Foster greater cultural humility and understanding within RFS, NPWS, Crown Lands and Forestry Corporation

This presentation will describe our approach and the successful outcomes achieved by ensuring Aboriginal representatives are able to participate in, and influence, bushfire management processes.

This presentation discusses a key cultural burning project conducted in early Makuru (start of June) in an urban remnant Banksia Woodland within the metropolitan region of Perth/Boorloo. This project was a joint collaboration between Whadjuk and Minang Elders, Indigenous rangers, a local government, the Department of Fire and Emergency services and Curtin University.

This is believed to be the first cultural burn of its kind within that area following colonisation and is situated within a heavily urbanised area.

This remnant Banksia woodland is a Threatened Ecological Community within the south-west of Western Australia, and managing fire is a key consideration for protecting and conserving this unique ecosystem. This project focuses on the ecological impacts of a cultural burn for this ecosystem and supports opportunities for cultural revival and empowerment for First Nations within this region.

As the burn was only this year, ecological data is still being collected over the next year. However, this presentation delves into the key challenges and learnings from implementing a cultural burn in such an urban region, the importance of supporting Elder-led projects, and the considerable social outcomes that have already emerged as part of the project.

Please note: The Elders who were involved in the project are being contacted to see if they are able to co-present if the abstract is approved. However, if they are not able to make it, Zoe will present on behalf of the project.

Recent widespread bushfires have highlighted the degree to which these events can affect Australia’s biodiversity. In some instances, significant biodiversity values are unknowingly impacted by fire suppression activities as well as by the fire itself. Observations of such impacts by ecologists in South Australia have led to the formation of a Bushfire Natural Values Team. This team, led by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW), supports the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) during bushfire incidents by providing advice on how impacts to biodiversity values can be mitigated.

The success of this team is dependent on a strong, collaborative relationship between DEW and the CFS, readily available biodiversity data and ecological expertise, and an understanding of how to operate effectively within an incident management team. We reflect on our learnings from implementing the South Australian Natural Values Team, opportunities for further improving the Team’s outcomes and on the value of ecologists working collaboratively with fire practitioners.

Bushfires are integral to the Australian landscape, yet the heightened severity of recent fire seasons underscores the need for operational systems that draw on scientific evidence. This study focuses on the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which manages over 7 million hectares of fire-prone protected area. Despite research on bushfire ecology and risk mitigation, the implementation of scientific findings remains a challenge for organisations such as NPWS.

Using a qualitative approach—12 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups with NPWS staff, knowledge brokers, and external researchers—this project examined how fire-related research could be seamlessly integrated into management processes. Guided by the Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) framework and the Diffusion of Innovations theory, our thematic analysis revealed four key findings:

Organisational Structure and Role Impact: NPWS’s decentralised structure allows flexibility but can also lead to varied approaches to implementing new research. Knowledge-sharing activities, cross-functional training, and strategic roles have been identified as critical solutions.

Research Integration and Operational Strategy: Inconsistent application and communication gaps hamper the uptake of scientific insights. However, structured processes and decision-support tools can enhance research utilisation.

Collaboration and Communication in Research: Fostering robust internal and external partnerships enables the targeted application of science. Embedding knowledge brokers in operational teams enhances clarity and readiness.

Challenges and Support for Research: While NPWS’s strong cultural identity promotes teamwork, generational divides and constrained funding can impact research adoption. Proactive governance, resource planning, and inclusive engagement strategies can address these barriers.

With dedicated research-integration roles, improved training and communication, and leadership support, NPWS can continue to evolve into a proactive, evidence-based fire-management organisation. A practical lesson is offered on how bridging the research-practice gap can advance ecological resilience and community safety, not only for NPWS but also for broader land-management and emergency-response agencies

Planned burning aims to mitigate bushfire risk to life and property and enhance ecological resilience. Balancing these objectives requires understanding how species respond to fire and natural disturbances.

In collaboration with Zoos Victoria, we investigated the responses of the threatened and fire-sensitive Pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) to bushfires and planned burning. The Pookila is a small, burrowing native rodent found in fragmented populations in south-eastern Australia, typically inhabiting fire-prone ‘heathy woodland’ vegetation, in populated coastal areas. As such, fire management for the Pookila needs to carefully consider impacts and benefits of fire management activities on the species. Since 2018, we have deployed 295 fauna cameras (survey sites), pre- and post-fire, across three of the five extant Victorian Pookila populations, and conducted habitat surveys, fuel and fire severity assessments. Our study included four planned burns and one bushfire under a BACI design, and two burns under a retrospective design. While most burn objectives aimed to reduce risk, i.e., high coverage, for this study we modified the delivery of some burns using higher fuel moistures, burned late in the season and varied ignition patterns.

Here we present analyses on the impacts of fire and climatic conditions on Pookila populations. Modified burns resulted in patchy, low coverage fire mosaics. In these areas, Pookila detections showed minimal change both 6 weeks and 12 months post-burn, suggesting low immediate impact. In contrast, a severe bushfire led to a marked population decline, with reduced detections persisting for two years. Climatic conditions, particularly low rainfall, significantly influenced Pookila population trends, affecting both decline and recovery. These findings highlight the importance of integrating climate variability into fire planning. We discuss our findings in the context of improving fundamental knowledge of species’ responses to climatic conditions and fire, and the implications of this for fire management decisions and conservation actions.

The spread of pastoralism and associated land management changes have been linked to a large-scale decline in biodiversity within Australian savannas. At the core of these land management changes is the introduction of grazing and the alteration of fire regimes, both of which play a powerful role in the composition and diversity of native vegetation communities. This study evaluated the relative effects of fire and grazing on ground-layer vegetation composition and diversity across 75,000 hectares of eucalypt woodland in Queensland’s Desert Uplands Bioregion. Conducted over four years, the study leveraged a biodiversity offset program that imposed low stocking rates and a First Nations burning regime of patchy, low-intensity fires. Bayesian multivariate regression models revealed that increased grazing pressure promoted non-native graminoids, and particularly buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), at the expense of palatable native species. In contrast, recent burning increased the cover and species richness of native annual graminoids and forbs. These findings support the implementation of low or no grazing pressure combined with patchy, low-intensity burning to promote native biodiversity. Furthermore, our findings suggest a scalable approach to managing low-intensity buffel grass invasions by reinstating land management practices to which native species are adapted. This approach enhances their competitive advantage over non-native graminoids, offering an alternative to strategies focused solely on direct suppression, such as herbicide application, which are unfeasible over broadscale areas.