The Yaegl Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the Coffs Harbour Aboriginal Land Council are collaborating with Forestry Corporation to integrate cultural burning with government bushfire management.

This partnership aims to enhance the community's resilience to major bushfires and improve land management practices on Yaegl Country.

A fire training was held in Grafton, facilitated by the Fire, Country and People project, a three-year initiative funded by the Australian Government.

Conducted by Fireground, the program provided accredited firefighting training to members of the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour Aboriginal communities.

Forestry Corporation’s Aboriginal Heritage and Partnerships Manager John Shipp said this program equipped participants with essential firefighting skills and qualifications.

“This program creates an opportunity for the Yaegl and Gumbaynggirr communities to work with government agencies to develop a path forward for effective and sustainable bushfire management, combining traditional cultural burning and modern firefighting techniques,” Mr Shipp said.

“This will improve the resilience of the community to major bushfires. The use of fire in the environment is only one aspect of the community’s land management experience, which has existed for more than sixty thousand years,” he said.

Yaegl Wadyarr Gargle Land & Sea Contractors Business Manager Grant Brown highlighted the benefits of the training for the community.

“Having 20 members of our community trained as accredited firefighters on Forestry Corporation appliances and equipment also provides an extra level of bushfire protection,” Mr Brown said.

“We have 82 threatened floral and fauna species on Yaegl land, and fire management is key to their protection by preventing wildfires, regenerating our native species, and ensuring the forests germinate to their full potential by reducing weed growth," he said.

Fire, Country and People will also help to build the scientific evidence base behind cultural burning with a research program to investigate the effects of traditional Aboriginal fire practices on the intensity and extent of bushfires.

The $3-million Fire, Country and People: Aboriginal Community Disaster Ready Project has received funding from the Australian Government and is jointly funded by Forestry Corporation.

For more information visit www.forestrycorporation.com.au