This was published 8 years ago
Funding for indigenous ranger programs must be doubled, report says
By Lucy Cormack and Environment reporter
Funding for Indigenous ranger programs and protected areas must double over the next five years if they are to continue providing social and economic benefits through land and sea management, a report by an Australian non-profit says.
At a time when indigenous people, young and old, are being "turned away" from ranger work opportunities, the report by Pew Charitable Trusts and Synergies Economic Consulting calls on the government to act quickly to avoid eroding the success of the programs.
"What we'd really like to see is engagement from political leadership. From the Greens, from Labor, from Malcolm Turnbull," said Patrick O'Leary, the outback conservation partnerships manager for Pew Charitable Trust.
"We know he is into innovation, and Australia backing itself. Well this is the best kind of innovation, and it's happening in remote Australia."
The Bardi Jawi Rangers from One Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley have won national awards for their efforts in protecting odorr (dugongs) and goorlil (turtles).Credit: Kimberley Land Council
The Working for our Country report was presented on Thursday to a representative for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion. Among successful conservation management, it focused on the positive impact the programs have on alcohol-related problems and social disengagement.
One of the reasons cited for the success of Indigenous ranger programs is the Indigenous ownership of the work, guided by the local authority of Indigenous elders.
Rangers in the Working for Country and Indigenous Protected Area programs undertake environmental work, such as management of cultural sites, fire regimes, biodiversity and feral animal and weed control.
Around 580 Indigenous people are employed through the IPA program, covering land areas like the recently declared Katiti-Petermann IPA in the south-west corner of the Northern Territory.
The Apudthama Land and Sea Rangers are a founding member of the Western Cape Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance, reducing threats to vulnerable and endangered marine turtles nesting on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.Credit: Kerry Trapnell
A total of 770 full-time equivalent ranger positions actively manage more than 60 million hectares of Australia, an area 30 times larger than Australia's largest national park at Kakadu
But Mr O'Leary said 770 was not nearly enough full-time positions for the area in question and there was "massive unmet demand" for jobs on the land across remote Australia.
The wrath of weeds: Management of invasive weeds is a major tasks for many Indigenous ranger groups like the Tjuwanpa Rangers who are spraying Prickly Pear near Ntaria.Credit: Credit Central Land Council
"A target of 5000 full-time positions is what we should be aiming for and it would be a fantastic investment. This is an opportunity point."
The report suggested setting targets for new ranger positions, based on the number needed to effectively manage the 80 million hectares of land forecast to be protected in IPA's by 2018.
Traditional knowledge meets modern science: Warlpiri Elder Joe Jangala Bird and North Tanami ranger Jeffrey Matthews Junior as they conduct a prescribed burn at Papinya. Credit: Central Land Council
Mr O'Leary added that the current $83 million in annual funding for ranger programs and IPA's should be doubled over the next five years, with contracts extended to 2030 and beyond to provide long-term security.
Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion said the government supported indigenous rangers with a commitment of "almost $350 million over five years," providing "more than 1600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are employed in full-time, part-time and casual ranger positions."
Dhimurru IPA Rangers Banula Marika, Deon Mununggurr and Nalkuma Burarrwang clear ghost nets from beach NE Arnhem. Credit: Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation
Labor senator Nova Peris attended the launch of the paper on Thursday and has always spoken out about the need for such programs.
"[Indigenous rangers] can engage in traditional conservation land management but can adapt it to suit their needs over time; from entering into agreements with pastoralists and the culling of animals, or the burning of country, to how they hunt and live on their country," she said.
Indigenous rangers promote and maintain tourist sites, like Yupunu Marika and Grace Wunungmurra, installing tables and fences at Giddies River recreational area in NE Arnhem Land.Credit: Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation
"Like most Aboriginal people I derive a significant amount of strength from being on my country, which is why I strongly support the Country Needs People campaign which aims to increase investment from this government in these very successful programs."