Greenvale producers are partaking in an innovative cultural fire management regime in an effort to improve the health and productivity of their grazing land and reduce wildfire risks.
The Jonsson family of Jervoise Station operate a 76,000 acre organic beef enterprise and average 5000 head of certified organic cattle across their property.
Headed by Greg and Kerry Jonsson, three generations of the family are involved in the 'Cultural Fire Management for Grazing Landscapes' program delivered by NQ Dry Tropics.
Funded through WWF-Australia's Indigenous Fire Management Program, the initiative works together with Traditional Owners to revitalise ancient cultural fire management practices, and would see Jervoise Station become the demonstration site for a carefully-planned cultural fire management scheme over the next two years.
Firesticks Alliance lead fire practitioner Victor Steffensen is overseeing the project, and together with the Jonsson family and local Traditional Owners, participated in multiple walks to read the land and discuss problems faced with the graziers before burning took place.
Following an initial burn, Mr Jonsson said the landscape had subsequently responded and provided compelling evidence of the positive effects of properly-managed fire.
"Everything Victor told us would happen, did happen," he said.
"It was just magic to watch.
"It has come back beautifully, the cattle are working it, so we are excited to see how things will improve further."
Mr Steffensen said the workshops were based on his traditional cultural and ecological knowledge, which enabled him to read Country together with the local Traditional Owners and property owners, to understand the condition of a landscape, and determine how to restore balance through cultural burning.
Mr Steffensen said traditional knowledge could also offer solutions to address environmental problems on agricultural land, while also providing additional economic and social opportunities for the wider community.
"This is about connecting people back to Country and healing Country in a way that improves landscapes and livelihoods at the same time," he said.
"It's great to see property owners, such as the Jonsson's, open their arms to this opportunity to work with Traditional Owners and provide a site where we can demonstrate effective, cost-efficient land management tools, to help them reclaim areas of non-productive land and improve land condition.
"There remains general scepticism around fire management, and the only way we can change that is through practical application and working demonstrations like these."
The project was launched with a workshop and cultural burn on Gugu Badhun Country at Jervoise Station.
Gugu Badhun Traditional Owners Richard Hoolihan and Harry Gertz both expressed their happiness and pride at being involved in bringing back cultural burns to the land; the first on the property for more than 25-years.
NQ Dry Tropics CEO Scott Crawford said the project was being delivered in partnership between Traditional Owners of the Burdekin Dry Tropics region, WWF-Australia, Firesticks Alliance, and graziers.
"Partnerships are key to bringing about positive change in natural resource management, and the diversity of knowledge and experience brought together by this project is very exciting", he said.
"This is an important opportunity to further explore traditional cultural fire management as a valuable grazing land management tool, based on cultural knowledge as relevant today as it was 40,000 years ago.
"It will also help reinstill cultural knowledge among Traditional Owners."
Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
