Sussan Ley
November 2, 2020
A total of $2 million in grants are available to Indigenous organisations to run workshops and share knowledge about traditional fire and land management practices.
This includes the use of Indigenous burning techniques which can mitigate fire risk, reduce fuel loads, control weeds, promote growth in native pastures, strengthen biodiversity outcomes and provide environmental and cultural benefits.
Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said Indigenous fire management had an important role to play in bushfire prevention strategies.
Environment Minister Sussan Ley said there was an increasing recognition of the value of traditional knowledge and practices in environmental and bushfire management.
“Grants from $20,000 to $200,000 are available for Indigenous-led workshops that strengthen knowledge within Indigenous communities and collaboration with public and private land managers,” she said.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have managed the land over tens of thousands of years and it was more important than ever to learn from their knowledge and practices.
“Traditional culture has a vital role to play alongside modern science and methods,” Minister Wyatt said.
“These workshops will help build and share that knowledge base in ways that will promote greater cultural understanding and better outcomes in managing fuel loads and the environment in general.”
Applications close on December 10. Grant guidelines and a sample application are available online
