Earlier this year, our team at the Healthy Forests Foundation was invited to provide advice about actions to support forest health on Noongar Country, near Boddington in Western Australia. The project’s ambition was to reintroduce cool burning as a tool for reducing bushfire risk and restoring local habitat—but before anything could proceed, a careful assessment of the landscape was needed.
In partnership with a Noongar Elder, our team—including a cultural advisor—travelled to the site to complete stage one of the project: a series of cultural and ecological assessments. This involved walking Country, listening to local knowledge, and offering advice on the suitability of the area for cool burning and ecological thinning.
The forest type in this part of WA is primarily Jarrah-Marri woodland—an ecosystem of immense ecological and cultural value. It’s home to threatened species such as the Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and the Numbat, and has evolved with fire for thousands of years. Restoring fire to this landscape, in the right way, could offer real benefits: reducing fuel loads, supporting biodiversity, and strengthening cultural connections to Country.
We were able to provide sound, site-specific advice to guide decision-making, and we did so in respectful partnership with First Nations knowledge holders. It’s this kind of early-stage collaboration that helps lay the groundwork for stronger, more inclusive forest management in the future.
This work reflects our commitment to being active on the ground—listening, learning, and helping others think through what forest repair really means in practice.
Stay connected with us as we continue to support healthy forests and strong communities across Australia.
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