The Olkola Aboriginal Corporation in Cape York was established in 1995, in 2015 it was registered as a charity and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Body. It is an Indigenous-led organisation that aims to strengthen future generations’ connection to land and culture. The Olkola People, represented by five clans, work together under the Olkola Healthy Country Plan to care for country and culture on 869,822 hectares of traditional lands. The Olkola Ajin Savanna Burning project is a part of these activities.

The Olkola Ajin Savanna Burning project employs the knowledge and techniques of Traditional Owners to control late dry season wildfires. Activities within this fire management project include implementing “cool” burns early in the dry season, between May and July. This reduces the risk of larger, hotter late dry season wildfires after August when there is less moisture in the ground. Late fires are more emissions intensive and impact the savanna’s trees and canopy, while cool fires burn only the understorey grass. 

By reducing the incidence of destructive late-season wildfires, the Olkola Ajin project reduces emissions and generates revenue for the community from the sale of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The project creates jobs for local community members in strategic fire management – an activity that has been practised by Indigenous communities on the Cape York Peninsula for thousands of years. The project supports the intergenerational exchange of traditional Olkola knowledge and customs and the continuation of the world’s oldest living culture.