Outback Cinema

Key questions and understandings

• Our future: how do we burn for a sustainable future?
• What is the "two-ways of knowing" toolkit?

Traditional burning practices result in substantial carbon benefits. When the tropical savanna/open forests are not burnt periodically, massive fuel loads can build up and cause hot intensive wild fires that devastate the country.

Learners could:

• use cause and effect diagrams to show the relationship between the seasons and traditional burning practices;
• explain the impact of traditional indigenous fire practices identifying the ecological, social/cultural and economic benefits;
• explain the carbon cycle highlighting the role of greenhouse gas;
• evaluate the NT carbon trading scheme using a Plus, Minus, Interesting organiser;
• justify the NT carbon trading scheme using scientific evidence;
• critically reflect on the impact of Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science working together for sustainability.
• critically evaluate the scientific evidence supporting the research as featured in Old Ways, New Directions.

This ABC Catalyst Carbon Country story provides an update (October 2009) on the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project (that features in Outback Cinema) and how its emission reductions fare in the light of the Kyoto Protocol and Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

In this ABC Catalyst video, Dr Martin Parkinson discusses the challenges involved in developing a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the  significance of savanna burning to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.  (Dr Parkinson is Secretary of the Department of Climate Change)

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West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project provides background information about the research from the Old Ways, New Directions section.

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Commonwealth Department of Climate Change website answers frequently asked questions.