In a conservation success story that surprised even the scientists, the threatened veined doubletail orchid has returned in droves on the Biyan Biyan Plain. This cultural fire revival — Bularr-Gulga Watuun as it’s called in Gathang — was preceded by a number of cultural burns. This region is of profound cultural significance to the Birrbay, Guringay, and Warrimay people. Today it is an important community anchor for local conservation efforts that blend Native wisdom with contemporary science.
Luke Foster of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). For more than ten years, he has taken an artistic and activist approach to the veined doubletail orchid. His expedition started with the first few dozen of these extraordinarily rare flowers glimpsed on the flam – 80 in total. The devastating Black Summer bushfires in 2019 unexpectedly proved to be a turning point in the fight to protect this unique species.
In wake of the wildfires, something miraculous happened. The veined doubletail orchids started to thrive. Foster says that the next growing season, 4,000 veined doubletail orchids sprung up across the burn footprint. They emerged precisely along the path the fire had taken. This unexpected result points to the key role fire plays in the natural regeneration cycles of some plants.
The Role of Cultural Burning
Michelle Perry has been critical in working with the Bunurong Ngargee to conduct cultural burns on the Biyan Biyan Plain. She has a profound personal and cultural connection to the Barrington Tops area. In 2023, she conducted the first cultural burn on the plain. Perry wants to shine a light on the site’s rich history as a place where various tribes would meet. This demonstrates its importance extends well beyond just ecological restoration.
Her dedication to educating others and sharing knowledge of traditional land management practices shines through. “I’m trying to take in everything I can,” she said, “and I want to bring that back to our youth, and help educate as many young people as possible. Perry’s commitment to creating a feeling of belonging and a relationship with the land runs as far and deep through her community as the roots of her trees.
Since the hot cultural burn, Perry and her team have tended three more burns on the plain. One of these burns happened earlier this spring. Supported by nearly 150 First Nations individuals, the activism garnered international attention. In addition to blasting away at burns, they immersed themselves in cultural practices including wood carving and weaving.
“First putting fire to this beautiful country, there was a sense of, ‘We’re doing the right thing,’” – Michelle Perry
This collaborative approach acts as a bridge between generations, passing down traditional practices that can strengthen modern ecological management strategies.
Integrating Traditional and Western Science
Michelle Perry and Luke Foster exhibit a breathtaking data-rich collaboration. Then they do an amazing job of bringing together old Aboriginal knowledge with new Western science. That’s why they’ve banded together to develop a detailed slate of recommendations. This plan will link these different methods together to increase the growing population of the veined doubletail orchid.
Foster understands the importance of traditional knowledge and practices in navigating local ecosystems. He attributes this partly to the fact that many orchids prefer a little disruption. In reality, fire often sets up ideal conditions for these plants to thrive. This partnership to develop more regenerative approaches respects the land’s cultural roots and helps foster an environment conducive to biodiversity.
The successful resurgence of the veined doubletail orchid following these fires is a much-needed light in the eyes of conservationists. It has the potential to be a model for how respectful, meaningful engagement with Indigenous land management practices can contribute to lasting ecological benefits.
“We started working together to come up with a plan to link Western science and traditional science together.” – Luke Foster
Perry’s personal history deepens how she’s connected to this land. She reflects on her family’s legacy in the area: “My nan was taken when she was 14 to work on stations all around the Barrington area. So it’s become a very, very special place to me and my family.”
Cultural Significance and Future Prospects
Even the veined doubletail orchid, an endangered species in the state, is experiencing an extraordinary recovery. This reintroduction increases biodiversity and revitalizes cultural traditions that Aboriginal peoples have practiced for millennia. Perry describes how the location may have served as a trading hub due to its geographical significance: “It might be a place of trading because we’re on the top of the mountain … you’ve got the Wanarruwa to one side, you’ve got the Birrbay and all the Warrimay and other closer tribes.”
Moreover, those who take part in these cultural burns feel a deep spiritual connection to their progenitors. As one participant articulated, “It’s really difficult to articulate the emotion or the sense of connection to country. This refrain underlines how far spiritual roots run, mixed up with, and anchoring these ecological practices.”
