Market-based Options for Supporting Sustainable Fire Management of Fire-prone Cerrado (Savanna) Remnant Landscapes

Authors

  • Jeremy Russell-Smith International Savanna Fire Management Initiative/ISFMI, Level 4, 346 Kent Street, Sydney 2000, New south Wales, Australia
  • Livia Carvalho Moura Institute Society, Population and Nature/ISPN. SHCGN 709, Bloco E, Loja 38, Brasilia/DF, Brazil
  • Cameron Yates Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0909, Northern Territory, Australia
  • Robin Beatty 321Fire, Praia do Tofo, Inhambane, Mozambique
  • Jomo Mafoko Department of Forestry and Range Resources, Private Bag BO 199, Gaborone, Botswana
  • Sam Johnston International Savanna Fire Management Initiative/ISFMI, Level 4, 346 Kent Street, Sydney 2000, New south Wales, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37002/biodiversidadebrasileira.v11i2.1725

Keywords:

Fire regimes, wildfires, prescribed burning, indigenous fire management

Abstract

Sustainable fire management of remnant Cerrado (savanna) vegetation faces many challenges in Brazil and regionally, including: the legacy of imposed colonial fire suppression policies; massive fragmentation of the Cerrado biome through agricultural and pastoral development; loss of cultural fire management knowledge and experience; occurrence of severe late dry season wildfires given general lack of appropriate prescribed fire management. As context for addressing these challenges, we first provide illustrative examples of a successful market-based program implemented in fire-prone north Australian savannas, and recent establishment of a complementary pilot program in wildfire-prone savanna in Botswana. We then outline the need and opportunity for developing an analogous fire management approach in Brazilian Cerrado, noting that: (a) there is considerable potential for implementing supportive and incentivized fire management on frequently wildfireaffected lands, especially Indigenous Territories; (b) as demonstrated by Australian experience, such development can be achieved rapidly under conducive policy conditions. Perhaps the key to such rapid transformation is to recognise that everyone benefits - global climates, regional ecological sustainability, and local people both culturally and financially. The paper provides a contextual summary of presentations and technical workshop discussions associated with the conducting of a Special Session of the 7th International Wildland Fire Conference, Campo Grande, Brazil, focused broadly on the theme described by this paper's title.

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Published

2021-05-07

Issue

Section

7th International Wildland Fire Conference