Dr. Dean Yibarbuk

Dr Dean Yibarbuk is a respected Indigenous leader and traditional owner from Djinkarr near Maningrida and Yanjkobarnem in the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area in West Arnhem Land. A proud member of the Andirridjalaba clan, his language is Gurrgoni and his subsection is Bulanj. For more than three decades, Dr Yibarbuk has been at the forefront of Indigenous land conservation, revitalising cultural practices and strengthening connections to Country.

In the 1990s, he raised early concerns about the destructive impacts of unmanaged hot wildfires on the savanna. Working alongside Elders, he advocated for the reinstatement of traditional cool burning practices. In 1991, he helped establish the Djelk Rangers, and in 2006 played a key role in launching the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (WALA) project—Australia’s first savanna fire management carbon project. His collaboration with scientists demonstrated that cultural burning significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, helping shape national carbon methodologies.

As Co-Chair of the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network, Dr Yibarbuk continues to empower Indigenous communities, supporting sustainable economic development and cultural renewal. Recognised with an honorary doctorate from Charles Darwin University, he is an influential voice both nationally and internationally, inspiring future generations to care for Country and uphold cultural knowledge.