North Australia Savanna Burning Carbon Project

Research report update—May 2010

This report provides a succinct update of progress and developments with respect to the biophysical research program. The timing of this update coincides with attached progress reports specifically addressing CALFA and GULF projects, including vegetation mapping.

North Australiabiophysical research program in general

  • Emissions seasonality assessment—based on fieldwork undertaken in July and Sept 2009 at Kabulwarnamyo. Two scientific papers in advanced state of preparation, coordinated by Mick Meyer and Garry Cook, respectively: (1) Seasonal variations in methane and nitrous oxide emissions factors in Northern Australian Savanna Woodlands, (2) Can fire regimes in savannas be managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: evidence from northern Australia? Due to be submitted to appropriate international journals in next month or so.
  • Top Down vs Bottom Up emissions accounting—this project component aims to assess the potential for using mostly remotely sensed (satellite-based) approaches for emissions accounting purposes, rather than rely solely on our current field-intensive methodologies. Driven mostly by Mick Meyer and Stefan Maier, work on this component has being progressing slowly to date, but we have now reached agreement on the methodological approach to take. Realistically, this is a long-term undertaking and will involve many collaborators both within Australia (especially Mick’s mates at CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research) and from overseas.
  • Fire severity mapping—related to the above undertaking is the need to develop a robust remotely sensed means for assessing fire severity, as opposed to our current approach of assuming that late season fires are typically more intense. Andrew Edwards is finishing a PhD program on this issue and will likely be funded by the Bushfires CRC from July 2010 or thereabouts to ‘operationalise’ fire severity mapping on the NAFI website.
  • NAFI—funding seems to be in place for the next couple of years thanks to NTGovt particularly. That funding will also enable further work on validating and enhancing Stefan Maier’s automated MODIS imagery fire mapping algorithm, through ongoing p/t employment of Harriet Eeley. Harriet is currently being paid for from remaining Tropical Savannas CRC funds. Meat & Livestock Australia are also supporting some work in QLD.
  • Database development—another key aspect which we will be asking Andrew to assist with is developing an integrated emissions accounting database; i.e. to design and implement a database which will hold all emissions accounting data from respective carbon abatement projects (WALFA, CALFA, Gulf, north Kimberley, western Cape York…), and which can be readily interrogated to provide emissions calculations etc. Planning for this database development has already commenced, and we hope to have a preliminary version up and running by end of 2010.
  • Other research developments—discussions are ongoing with CSIRO’s Agriculture Flagship program (a CSIRO version of a CRC), ILC, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and others to explore further carbon market opportunities relating to improved fire management—specifically, carbon sequestration in living biomass. This would require a fair amount of biophysical research but, more importantly, substantial efforts to address resource economics and policy development options. One opportunity for pursuing aspects of this may be through DEWHA’s current NERP (National Environmental Research Program) funding round…related to this, Biodiversity & Social Benchmarking issues would necessarily be canvassed in such a NERP proposal—given the fundamental need to assess the costs, benefits and requirements for delivering sustainable ecosystem management projects, particularly involving Indigenous ranger groups.
  • TNC support for Biodiversity & Social Benchmarking projects—To date, TNC are providing funding support for:
  • detailed biodiversity mapping for WALFA, focusing particularly on anbinik (Allosyncarpia) jungles and springs, as a PhD program through CDU being undertaken by Jeremy Freeman
  • fire and broad-scale habitat mapping for the North Kimberley, jointly funded with WA’s Dept of Environment & Conservation. Funding of a position is for two years initially, to be based at Curtin Uni. Selection of a suitable candidate is underway.
  • additionally, discussions are ongoing re funding of some workshop and related activities for later this year and next in the north Kimberley and CALFA

Regional projects

  • Cape York—initial assessment of fire and vegetation mapping datasets has been completed. Such assessments indicate that there is substantial potential for implementing a savanna burning project in western CY, and that available QLD Herbarium vegetation mapping products are sufficient for project purposes. Leasie Felderhof is currently refining the fire history mapping from 2004 for one core Landsat scene. Given delays due to the extended wet season, a first fieldwork exercise is likely to commence some time after August.
  • Gulf—see research report attached. A delayed start to the fieldwork program is also likely given the extended wet season.
  • CALFA—see research report attached. This year’s field program looks on-track and will start last week of May, before formal CALFA planning meeting in early June.
  • WALFA—all on track following planning meeting held last week
  • North Kimberley—field program due to commence mid-July as planned. As described above, fire and broad-scale vegetation / fuels mapping will commence shortly. It is anticipated hat by mid 2011 the mapping program will have progressed to detailed mapping for identified site locations as part of the biodiversity and social benchmarking program.

Notes provided by Jeremy Russell-Smith

11 May 2010