For tens of thousands of years, Aboriginal people have practised cultural burning to care for Country. These carefully planned, low-intensity fires are carried out in partnership with Country to support healthy ecosystems, protect and enhance the abundance of important plants and animals, and maintain cultural connections to the land.

New research from the NSW South Coast suggests this traditional approach may also be gentler on the soil beneath our feet. This work would not have been possible without the partnership of the Batemans Bay, Bega and Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Councils and their rangers, who generously shared their knowledge and allowed the team to be part of their cultural burning activities.

Researchers from DCCEEW Applied Bushfire Science Program, Soil and Landscape Knowledge team and DPI Agriculture and Biosecurity monitored cultural burns, at South Durras (Walbunja Country), Tura Beach (Thaua Country) and Dignams Creek (Djiringanj Country).  They found that while cultural fire does influence soil chemistry and the microscopic life living underground, the changes were generally modest and recoverable over time. The findings provide growing evidence that cultural burning can help care for Country while maintaining soil health.  

Fire that works with nature, not against it

When many people think of fire, they imagine intense heat stripping landscapes of vegetation and damaging ecosystems.

Cultural burning is different.

At the sites studied, burns were carefully timed, intentionally patchy and often conducted under cool, moist conditions. Rangers protected significant plants, allowed wildlife escape pathways and used fire in ways that reflected local ecological and cultural knowledge. At South Durras, for example, the burn was deliberately cool and slow-moving to protect the soil microbiome that supports important native species such as burrawang.  

These practices are designed to minimise harm while achieving outcomes such as reducing hazardous fuel loads, encouraging native plant regeneration and restoring ecosystem balance.  

The soil remained remarkably resilient

One of the strongest messages from the study is not what changed, but what did not.

Researchers measured a wide range of soil health indicators, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, soil acidity and microbial communities. Many important soil properties showed little or no significant change following cultural burning. Total carbon, total nitrogen and other key indicators remained largely stable at the monitored sites.  

Where changes did occur, they were generally small and often temporary.

At South Durras, nutrients such as ammonium and phosphorus became more available immediately after fire, creating conditions that may help support plant growth and soil biological activity. Soil pH also increased after burning, a common response that can improve nutrient availability in some soils. Importantly, many of these changes moved back towards pre-burn levels over time.  

Rather than degrading the soil, cultural burning appeared to stimulate natural ecological processes while allowing the soil system to remain stable and functional.  

A healthy underground community survives

Beneath every forest floor lies an enormous community of bacteria and fungi. These microscopic organisms help plants obtain nutrients, recycle organic matter and support ecosystem recovery after disturbance.

The study found that cultural burning altered the composition of these communities, but largely did not reduce their overall diversity. In simple terms, some groups became more common and others less common, but the overall richness of soil life remained intact.  

This is an important finding because it suggests cultural burns may create opportunities for natural ecological renewal without causing major losses of soil biodiversity.  

Researchers observed increases in several groups of microbes known to thrive after fire and contribute to nutrient cycling. They also found evidence that beneficial plant-associated microbes recovered after burns and, in some cases, returned to or exceeded their pre-burn abundance.  

Signs that the soil bounces back

Perhaps the most encouraging result was the strong evidence of recovery.

At both Tura Beach and Dignams Creek, bacterial and fungal communities gradually shifted back towards their pre-burn state during the monitoring period. Researchers described this as evidence of resilience, the ability of a system to recover following disturbance.  

Even at South Durras, where some fungal communities were slower to return to their original composition, the overall findings suggested adaptation rather than collapse. Researchers emphasised that recovery rates can vary depending on local conditions such as soil type, vegetation and fire history.  

The broader pattern was clear: cultural burning produced change, but not lasting damage. Instead, soils showed a capacity to recover and continue functioning as healthy living systems.  

Why this matters

Australia faces the dual challenge of managing increasing bushfire risk while protecting ecosystems.

The research suggests that cultural burning may offer an important part of the solution. By using lower-intensity, carefully managed fire, Aboriginal land managers can reduce fuels while avoiding the damage often associated with more severe fires.  

The study's authors concluded that cultural burning produced measurable but largely recoverable changes in soil chemistry and biology, demonstrating the resilience of these ecosystems. They also found evidence that soil microbial communities retain their richness and can recover over time following cultural burns.  

Ancient knowledge, modern evidence

For generations, Aboriginal peoples have understood that healthy fire can help maintain healthy Country.

This study provides scientific evidence supporting that understanding. While fire inevitably leaves its mark, cultural burning appears to do so gently, working with natural processes rather than overwhelming them. The result is a landscape that can continue to function, recover and thrive.  

The findings reinforce a simple but powerful message: when fire is applied carefully, respectfully and in tune with Country, it can be a tool for renewal rather than destruction. And beneath the ashes, the soil tells that story.