Kouaoua, New Caledonia – A powerful testimony from a participant at the recent Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC+) meeting in Kouaoua underscored the transformative impact of community-led initiatives in fire management.
“My father started many fires and following his lead, we did too. Then, he took a step back and accepted his responsibilities as a customary leader,” shared one attendee, reflecting on the reasons behind the reduction of burnt areas by half since 2011.
The PEBACC+ project showcased a detailed analysis of fire regimes from 2000 to 2023 through an engaging poster presentation. The results indicated that 1,014 fires scorched 3,286 hectares of the 11,000-hectare valley since late 2011, both the number of fires and the extent of burned areas have been halved. From 2000 to 2011, there was an average of 57 fires per year, which burned about 180 hectares. In contrast, between 2012 and 2023, the average dropped to 28 fires per year, affecting around 93 hectares.
Kareen Méboédé, Deputy Mayor of Kouaoua, expressed gratitude to the elders for their pivotal role in enacting the municipal order in November 2011, which formalised in law the local community aspiration to improve fire management.
Co-led by the Climate Energy Plan team of the Northern Province (PCEPN) and featuring key contributions from elected officials in Kouaoua, this meeting also introduced the Public Policy for Risk Management team (PPGR). Key members included Alex Dahi, Louka Washetine, Christine Chenin, Christophe Cormier, and Jean-Luc Mahé.
François Tron, PEBACC+ project Coordinator said, “This PEBACC+ process towards improved fire management is exceptional, this collaborative fire regime analysis was run for the first time in New Caledonia and indeed uncovered a long-term reduction by half of the number of fire occurrence and burnt areas extent.”
He added that the underlying story coming out of the local community is bringing together women, youth, people living with disability, customary elders, men, local community officials and staff from province and government.
“I have been dreaming of such a story in my entire 16 years of professional career in New Caledonia especially how individuals and the entire community set their mind and effectively changed their behaviour,” said Mr. Tron.
The PEBACC+ community meeting in Kouaoua took place on Friday, 4 October 2024. The PEBACC+ project will provide both technical and financial support to the local community in identifying, planning, and implementing effective solutions to improve fire management. This initiative requires a comprehensive and long-term vision that considers the community’s relationship with the savannas—prone to fire—and forests, especially in the context of escalating climate change threats. The project is already exploring specific interventions, including partnerships with invasive deer hunters to manage their hunting grounds differently, training in agroforestry practices to minimise the need for fire in crop field maintenance, establishing firebreaks through controlled burns and the planting of fire-resistant trees, and providing training in traditional controlled burning techniques and early detection/rapid response strategies.
The PEBACC+ project is funded by the Kiwa Initiative and the French Global Environment Facility. Implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, the project is dedicated to promoting nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation, enhancing the resilience of ecosystems, populations, and economies. The initiative is co-funded by the Kiwa Initiative and the French Global Environment Facility.