Project Description
Innovation in Conservation Symposium – May 10, 2024 – Ryde TAFE
Cultural burning opportunities and bush regeneration – Den Barber
In this powerful, personal talk, Den Barber—Aboriginal Partnerships Manager at Landcare NSW and founder of Yarrabin Cultural Connections—shares his cultural fire journey. From National Parks firefighter to leading cultural burning workshops across Country, Den reveals why cultural fire is not just fire management—it’s restoration.
Den invites regenerators to rethink fire, respect Aboriginal knowledge, and commit to partnerships, not just ‘engagement’.
Key Messages in this Talk
Resilience-Based Restoration in Practice
Cultural burning supports facilitated natural regeneration, a process central to SERA Principle 2 using the minimum necessary intervention based on the ecosystem’s capacity to recover. Den’s burns are precise, small-scale, and designed to encourage native species while reducing threats like Eragrostis curvula and Lantana camara.
Traditional Knowledge = Restoration Standards
Den’s story reflects SERA Principle 1—engaging and empowering Traditional Custodians in planning and delivering restoration. His burns are governed by cultural protocol, not prescription plans and they result in strong ecological outcomes like intact canopies, healthy understorey, and reduced erosion risk.
Community-Led, Country-Rooted
Den calls for true partnerships with Aboriginal organisations, not tokenistic ‘Aboriginal engagement’. He urges bush regenerators to build relationships based on respect, honesty, and shared care for Country.
Learning Without Certification
His practice isn’t shaped by certificates but by Elders, lived experience, and outcomes on the ground. This challenges assumptions about what ‘qualified’ restoration looks like and invites us to rethink expertise in ecological restoration.
“If you’re looking for a good bush regenerator, look no further than cultural fire.” — Den Barber
For bushcare volunteers, restoration professionals, and land managers, this talk offers a moving and motivating call to centre culture in ecological care.