Cultural Burning Workshop at Birkenburn Farm

Image from Koori Country Firesticks website

Bungendore landholders Tom Gordon and Martina Shelley will be hosting a ‘Cultural Burning Workshop’ at their Birkenburn Farm this winter with Cultural Fire practitioner Den Barber and members of the Koori Country Firesticks Aboriginal Corporation (KCFSAC).

KCFSAC is a non for profit organisation reviving Traditional Aboriginal cultural practices of burning Country as an alternative approach to Hazard Reduction techniques. This traditional knowledge has been passed onto KCFSAC by Aboriginal Cultural Elders and knowledge holders and is now being passed to other Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to help restore Country that has been impacted by wild fire, the absence of fire, and or infestation of exotic weeds.

After last year’s horrific fire season Tom and Martina have been working with the group to learn about and implement Cultural Burning practices in their rural property’s bushland areas. The project aims to regenerate and maintain biodiverse habitat on the property and protect it from wildfire, while encouraging and enabling surrounding landholders and community to do the same. 

Anticipated outcomes include increased community knowledge of cultural burning practices, adoption of the practices by landholders where appropriate, improved biodiversity and resilience to wildfire. 

Researchers from The Mulloon Institute are monitoring the Cultural Burn site and its effects over time, including recording and assessing effects on soils and vegetation. The leading research, education and advocacy organisation are committed to creating regenerative and resilient environments and are based on neighbouring Mulloon Creek Natural Farms.

Birkenburn is a beef and sheep farm that has been in Tom’s family for five generations. Both Tom and Martina are committed to various environmental projects, including large-scale tree-planting, creating wildlife corridors and controlling erosion. Birkenburn is also part of the Mulloon Rehydration Initiative aiming to rebuild the natural landscape function of the Mulloon catchment and boost its resilience to climatic extremes.

This project is being supported by the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife through their Bushfire Recovery Small Grants fund which has been released for specific bushfire response projects. A second workshop is planned for 29-30 August 2020.

Tickets

Via Eventbrite