The federal government has announced 12 new Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) across Australia for land and sea Country management and protection, following a $14.6 million dollar investment in to the IPA grant program.
From the Western Australian deserts to the NSW rainforests, the new projects combined will protect 7.5 million hectares of land and 450,000 hectares of sea Country.
“No one knows this country better than First Nations people who for time immemorial have cared for our land and sea," said Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.
“These new Indigenous Protected Areas will mean local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will have the opportunity to manage and care for Country.
These new IPAs also safeguard biodiversity, providing habitats for koala, as well as threatened native species such as the Greater Bilby, Princess Parrot and Eastern Curlew.
The additional IPA's will be added to existing the existing 87 million hectares of land and over five million hectares of sea Country that are managed by Traditional Owners and First Nations groups.
The additional IPA projects include:
- Mount Willoughby, Antakirinja Yankunytjatjara, SA
- Yanyuwa Sea Country IPA, NT
- Bellinger Valley IPA Consultation Project, NSW
- Bringing Jagun Together, NSW
- Muunthiwarra, Alka Bawa and Kalpowar (MAK) IPA, QLD
- Wadja IPA Consultation Project, QLD
- Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Lands and Waters IPA, QLD
- Western Miyarrka IPA Consultation Project, NT
- Simpson Desert IPA, NT
- Nyamal IPA, NT
- Wudjari IPA, WA
- Yindjibarndi IPA, WA
What is an IPA?
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are areas of land and sea that Traditional Owners have agreed to manage for biodiversity conservation.
Established in 1997, the IPA program supports First Nations peoples to care for their Country through voluntary agreements with the Australian Government to deliver environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits through implementation of agreed management plans.
With IPAs representing more than 50% of Australia's National Reserve System.
