The Federal Government’s carbon farming initiative (CFI) has approved a fire management scheme for the savannah-burning to generate carbon credits.
Savanna burning involves a number of controlled fires being lit as a means of reducing the fuel for and severity of late season fires with fire breaks, particularly in northern Australia.
Parliamentary secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, says savannah-burning helps to reduce the high level of pollution that is often generated by out-of-control bush fires.
“We have spoken with landowners who say the savannah-burning techniques have helped to save up to 65 per cent of their property and we do not want to penalise them for being pro-active with their fire management,” said Mr Dreyfus.
Businesses and farms using savannah techniques will be sold credits to offset their carbon liability.
The Fish River Fire Project, located 200km’s south of Darwin, will earn up to 20,000 carbon credits per year under the new CFI strategic fire management scheme on the 1,800 square kilometre property.
