Indigenous rangers throughout our project area are seeing extremes in weather patterns and are witnessing the impact of these conditions. Of particular interest to the project, is the potential role of carbon farming for remote desert communities and related issues of climate change and adaptation.
It is predicted that:
- average temperatures will continue to increase in all seasons
- more hot days and warm spells are projected
- fewer frosts are projected
- changes to summer rainfall are possible but unclear. Winter rainfall is projected to decrease in the southern deserts
- increased intensity of extreme rainfall events is projected
- mean sea levels will continue to rise, and height of extreme sea-level events will also increase
A failure to manage the impact of climate change on remote communities will undermine their sustainability and these important benefits.
Indigenous land management organisations and Indigenous rangers can, if resourced adequately, provide an important role in the keeping remote communities safe and healthy. These include:
- implementing carbon farming activities as seen in the north of the state with the savannah burning program
- natural disaster mitigation by implementing more right-way fire in surrounding country
- facilitating with government agencies community fire management plans which can then be implemented to reduce the risk to infrastructure and life
- providing assistance with emergency response to wildfire
- providing assistance with the development and distribution of a remote community education program.
The 10DP is working with our project partners to develop a range of information products incorporating local knowledge and science to create awareness of climate change and its impact on the deserts and how rangers can carry out work to adapt and mitigate the impacts.