Assessing ecological performance thresholds in fire‐prone Kakadu National Park, northern Australia

A critical assessment of fire management strategies in Kakadu National Park reveals significant challenges and limited progress over 18 years. Despite substantial resources, only two out of 14 ecological performance thresholds were met by 2015, with no material improvement observed across the study period. The research, leveraging Landsat-scale fire mapping (1997–2015) and modeled biodiversity responses, found that vast areas—98% in lowlands and 87% in uplands—experienced large fires (>1 km²), while only a minimal portion of habitats remained unburnt for more than three years. The study underscores the need for alternative resourcing models, such as market-based savanna burning projects, to achieve effective biodiversity conservation in fire-prone Australian savannas.

Russell‐Smith, J., Evans, J., Edwards, A. C., & Simms, A. (2017). Assessing ecological performance thresholds in fire‐prone Kakadu National Park, northern Australia. Ecosphere, 8(7). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1856