Saibai Land and Sea Profile
RANGER GROUP
Rangers 2015
MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES
LAND • Land Patrol • Native nursery • Weeds • Community garden • Native plants and animals • Burning • Coastal management OVERVIEW (beach patrol) • Feral animals
Traditional island name Saibai SEA Western name Saibai • Sea patrol • Turtle and dugong Top Western Islands Cluster Guda Maluilgal Nation
Local government TSIRC & TSC
Registered Native Title Saibai Mura Buway PEOPLE • Traditional and cultural sites Body Corporate (RNTBC) (TSI) Corp. RNTBC • Community involvement • Training Land type Alluvial (mud) Island • Traditional ecological knowledge Air distance from • Research support 141 Thursday Island (km)
Area (ha) 10460 KEY VALUES
Indicative max length (km) 22.7 CLIMATE CHANGE RISK
Indicative max breadth (km) 8.1 Vulnerability to sea level rise (+1.0m) Very High
Max elevation (m) 5 Sea level rise response options Very Low Healthy sea Marine water Coral reefs Seagrass Dugong Marine turtles Coastline length (km) 53 ecosystems quality meadows
Population 480 (2011 ABS Census)
Area of island zoned 32 development (ha) Subsistence Healthy land Sustainable Coasts Mangroves Coastal birds fishing ecosystems human settlements and beaches and wetlands Area of disturbed / 63 (0.6%) / undisturbed vegetation (ha/%) 10397 (99.4%) Supporting the Land and Sea Management Strategy for Torres Strait COMMUNITY OVERVIEW FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES Saibai is a very large (10,460ha) alluvial (mud) island RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS The Saibai community is highly reliant on air transport, diesel powered electricity generation and barge transport in the Top Western Islands Cluster of the Torres Recent land and sea management achievements include: Strait about 141km north of Thursday Island. Saibai of supplies and materials to and from the community. (population 480) lies just a few km from Papua ○ Community-based dugong and turtle management plan in place Renewable energy options will be explored to reduce New Guinea (PNG) and is formed from alluvial mud ○ Ranger group established and Rangers implementing activities under Working on Country plans carbon emissions and work towards energy independence. deposited on decayed coral platforms by the adjacent ○ Ranger participation in mangrove and shoreline monitoring and surveys using the Ranger vessel large river systems in PNG, including the Fly River. The community is located on the northwestern side ○ Community participation in the Sustainable Horticulture Project, including the establishment of a community garden COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT of the island. and community fruit tree planting Saibai Mura Buway Rangers engage with the community The topography of Saibai is extremely flat with ground ○ Participation in invasive fish surveys and efforts to contain the spread of Climbing Perch through frequent community notices and Ranger talks, level generally less than one metre above local mean community participation in ranger activities, and an annual sea level (highest point 5m) with large interior swamps community celebration and report back. This ensures filled with brackish water. More than 99% of the land and sea management activities remain relevant to island is covered in undisturbed vegetation. The key community priorities. vegetation types are open woodlands and grasslands, MAIN THREATENING PROCESSES CLIMATE CHANGE PROFILE and wetlands, including mangrove and saltpan The main threatening processes affecting the Saibai Mura Climate change in the Torres Strait will involve a warming SOME OF SAIBAI’S IMPORTANT communities. Mangroves line the entire perimeter Buway land and sea management area relate to climate of air and sea temperatures, rising sea levels, more severe ANIMALS & PLANTS shores except in front of community areas. change (inundation from sea level rise), the spread of pest weather events, ocean acidification and some changes Native title is recognised over Saibai and is held in plants and animals, and declining water quality (including to rainfall patterns, evaporation, wind and ocean currents. trust by the Saibai Mura Buway (Torres Strait Islander) marine debris and increasing sedimentation). These changes are predicted to have long-term impacts Corporation RNTBC. on all of the region’s key values across the Land, Sea and People themes. Saibai has a ‘very high’ vulnerability rating LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES to sea level rise and a ‘very low’ response options rating LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT AREA Fifteen management priorities under the themes of Land, (there are limited options to move to a safer site on the The Saibai Mura Buway land and sea management area Sea, and People are identified in the Saibai Mura Buway island). Regular flooding already occurs during high tides and current improvements in the seawall and bund will help Emerald Monitor Rajah Shelduck includes a number of uninhabited islands, reefs and marine Working on Country Ranger Plan. There are 3 Ranger Photo: Tim Vickers, Wikimedia Commons Photo: Terry Reis areas (see map) covering about 297,726 ha. The land and positions (as at 2015). The Saibai Mura Buway Rangers to reduce the impact of these events on the community. For sea country area is shared with Dauan Simakal. Saibai is will continue to work closely with the community on more information on climate change, please see the Torres divided into seven clan groups. priority projects including dugong and turtle management, Strait Climate Change Strategy 2014-2018. protecting significant cultural sites, preserving Traditional TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE Daru Ecological Knowledge, and Torze Ture Ture Masingara managing pests and fire. The Saibai community are working to protect Traditional Buji Mawatta Ber WESTERN PROVINCE Ecological Knowledge (TEK) for future generations. The PAPUA NEW GUINEA PORTAMZA REEF TEK system enables communities to access information Antelope Orchid Mauritian Grass DUGONG AND TURTLE for their own cultural maintenance; support sustainable Photo: Orchi, Wikimedia Commons Photo: J.M. Garg Mabaduan BOIGU ISLAND GIMINI REEF MANAGEMENT community based environmental management Sigabaduru AUWAMAZA REEF PARAKARI REEF The Saibai community is approaches; and allows Indigenous Rangers’ planning KOKOPE REEF FURTHER INFORMATION actively implementing the and on-ground cultural and natural resource management DAUAN ISLAND SAIBAI ISLAND Saibai Dugong and Turtle activities to be informed by Ailan Kastom (Island Custom). For more information, visit the Management Plan 2011-2016, TSRA website at http://www.tsra.gov.au and the that is built on the Saibai Mura CALONIA REEF KOEY WAPA COMMUNITY HORTICULTURE ADRIAN REEF (WARRIOR REEFS) Torres Strait eAtlas http://ts.eatlas.org.au/ts BURU (TURNAGAIN) ISLAND Buway vision: The Saibai community has an active food producing “Mura Buai are the custodians community garden in place to preserve traditional AIDAL MAZA (AIDAI REEF) of the species of dugong and gardening skills and support greater community self- NUMAR (REEF) IKI (NICHOLLS CAY) turtle and wish to utilise both MARKAI (REEF) sufficiency in food production. Saibai Mura Buway BEKA (REEF) cultural and western knowledge MAUAR (RENNEL ISLAND) Rangers have played a role in the community nursery for GEBAR (GABBA ISLAND) management systems to Turtle and Dugong Management Area propagation of native plants for revegetation projects. TUDU (WARRIOR ISLAND) conserve them.” Saibai-Dauan NGAZI (MOURILYAN REEF)
This map is based on existing dugong and turtle management areas and shows the general areas of operation for community-based land and sea Rangers. Best available information (including traditional place names) has been used at the time of publication. This map is indicative only and not intended for native title purposes.