Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia about 6,000 years ago halved forest shrub cover, according to our study. new study published in Science of fossil pollen trapped in ancient mud.

Shrubs connect fires from ground cover to the forest canopyallowing fires to spread and intensify rapidly. The reduction of shrub cover, linked to evidence of an increase population size and more widespread use of the landscape by Aboriginal people, would have dramatically decreased the potential for high-intensity wildfires.

We also found that the shrub layer in modern forests is even greater than 130,000-115,000 years ago, when the climate was similar to today but there were no people around.

Our in-depth research shows how important indigenous cultural practices were in reducing dangerous high-intensity fires. It also suggests a way forward in Australia’s current fire crisis, which climate change It’s getting worse.

The problem with the bushes.

For decades, Australia has tried to control fires by putting them out. This strategy may be effective in the short term, but it has had dire consequences in the long term.

Over the past 20 years, the forests and woodlands of southeastern Australia have become hotbeds of major fires.

Fire suppression has allowed vegetation, especially in the shrub layer, to grow without restriction. The mid-height shrub vegetation acts as a ladder, allowing fires to spread from the ground to the forest canopy. This results in more intense and uncontrollable fires.

Evidence for denser vegetation comes from small fossilized grains of pollen that are deposited in layers of ancient sediment in wetlands and lake beds. By extracting fossil pollen from mud, scientists can develop an image of vegetation in the past.

Our new study used archaeological data and information preserved in ancient clay. We look at how the vegetation of southeastern Australia changed in response to climate and human management over the past 130,000 years.

We wanted to see how things changed in key periods: before human arrival in Australia, during periods of indigenous occupation and after British colonization.

We use sophisticated models to estimate vegetation cover and its relationship with human land use at different times.

Taking care of the country

Indigenous Australians have been the custodians of this continent for millennia. Your journey in Australia began at least 65,000 years ago.

Direct evidence of cultural fires dates back at least 11,000 years in the Top End, although it may have started much earlier.

Indigenous Australian cultural burning practices are complex and varied. However, in many parts of the continent they included regular, controlled burning. These helped manage vegetation growth and reduce the risk of high intensity fires.

Since British colonization, Australia’s landscape has undergone significant changes, with more open grasslands and densely vegetated forests. The introduction of the European land management practices, including fire extinguishingIt disrupted the fire regimes that indigenous Australians had maintained for thousands of years.

This suppression-focused approach has led to a buildup of plant matter, creating a powder keg ready to ignite.

A call for change: integration of indigenous knowledge

To address this crisis, a change in fire management strategies is essential. One promising approach is to integrate indigenous fire management practices into contemporary fire management plans, working with traditional owners to better care for country.

This must be done in a way that supports indigenous livelihoods and fosters connection to country, not through management agencies that simply appropriate indigenous knowledge.

Indigenous Australians have hundreds of generations of experience managing the country’s fire-prone landscapes. Indigenous-led fire management is already being revitalized in northern Australia.

Our research demonstrates that the South East’s forests and woodlands were managed effectively in the past and would also benefit from indigenous country care practices today.

Reducing hazardous fuels in the bush layer means fewer high-intensity fires threatening the bush-urban interface. like the fires of the Black Summer 2019-20.

Higher temperatures and prolonged droughts have created ideal conditions for wildfires to spread. Colonization has aggravated the problems arising from human-caused climate change.

But there is no fire without fuel. It is the combination of increasing biomass and a warming climate that is now fueling fires of unprecedented scale and intensity, posing a significant threat to lives, property and ecosystems.

Australia’s fire crisis is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted solution. By learning from and working with Indigenous professionals, Australia can develop more effective and sustainable policies. fire management strategies. This collaborative approach offers a path forward to control the flames and protect the nation’s unique and diverse landscapes.

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