Could living firebreaks in WA’s South West be a tool for helping reduce the impact on communities and landscapes of predicted increases in climate-driven disaster like bushfire?
It’s a question South West Natural Resource Management (NRM) is seeking to answer via a one-year trial which forms part of a collective effort by the NRM sector nationally, to better understand the potential for nature-based solutions (NbS) to mitigate the impacts of fire, flood and climate risks.
Under this landmark trial, South West NRM is working with four property owners across our region, with a great diversity in test conditions through environmental conditions and business operations/assets.
Plantings will occur at each of the properties in June, 2026 to take advantage of winter rain.
Species selection has been guided by findings of a Murdoch University study on local species with low flammability, combined with the potential for benefiting biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
Placement and design of the firebreaks is informed by fire scientists from the University of Melbourne’s FLARE team.
The Living Firebreaks project includes a temperature check of community attitudes toward living firebreaks as a fire mitigation tool with human ethics approval from the University of Melbourne.
Nature-led resilience is an ongoing NRM Regions Australia program to improve awareness, capability, and investment for nature-based solutions that can deliver broad benefits across Australia. The initial Nature-led Resilience: Safeguarding Regions from Fire, Flood and Climate Risks project runs from May 2024 to May 2026, with support from the Minderoo Foundation.
This project is being delivered in collaboration with NRM Regions Australia with the support of the Minderoo Foundation.
“What we’re really hoping to explore is can we find a sweet spot where economic values are protected along with biodiversity values and the risk of fire is somewhat reduced.”
