Caring for Our Country Achievements Report NORTHERN and REMOTE AUSTRALIA 2008 –2013 West Macdonnell Ranges, Northern Territory
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caring for our country Achievements Report NORTHERN AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA 2008 –2013 West Macdonnell Ranges, Northern Territory. Source: T. J. Baker, DSEWPaC Northern and Remote Australia Northern and Remote Australia The unique environmental, social and economic challenges faced by northern and remote Australia require a tailored approach to sustainable natural resources use and environmental protection. 3 Table of contents Introduction 5 Outcome 1 Protect important natural assets in northern and remote Australia, particularly the national reserve system (and Indigenous Protected Areas within it). 7 Case study: Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area, Northern Territory 8 Case study: West Kimberley National Heritage area, Western Australia 11 Case study: Witchelina, South Australia 12 Case study: Natural Resource Management regions in northern and remote Australia 13 Case study: Rangers helping to maintain land and sea country in the Torres Strait, Queensland 15 Outcome 2 Assist at least 30 per cent of land managers in northern and remote Australia to increase their uptake of sustainable grazing and land management practices. 17 Case study: Wangamaty (Lower Daly) Landcare Group, Northern Territory 18 Case study: Ecosystem Management Understanding, Northern Territory 19 Case study: Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association, Northern Territory 20 Working on Country 21 National strategy to reduce Indigenous disadvantage 22 Case study: Caring for Gawler Ranges rock-holes, South Australia 23 Case study: Protecting Mangarrayi traditional lands at Elsey Station, Northern Territory 24 Outcome 3 In priority areas in northern and remote Australia, reduce the impact of invasive species including, in particular, cane toads, tramp ants and camels. 25 Case study: Yellow crazy ant management in north-east Arnhem Land, Northern Territory 26 Case study: Feral camels in northern and remote Australia 28 Outcome 4 Expand traditional fire management regimes, across at least 200 000 square kilometres of northern Australia’s savannas, to reduce the incidence of unmanaged fires, and position indigenous land managers for entry into emerging voluntary or other emissions trading markets. 30 Monitoring of Australia’s environmental assets in a changing climate 32 Building on progress and learning from experience – Phase II of Caring for our Country 2013—2018 34 References 36 To ensure that northern and remote regions were Introduction adequately represented, investments targeted the following outcomes: Northern and remote Australia contains some of the highest conservation value landscapes and » By 2013, Caring for our Country will protect environmental assets in Australia, including Ramsar important natural assets in northern and remote wetlands, important aquatic and coastal environments Australia, particularly the National Reserve System and savannas. These environments cross state and (NRS) (and Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) territory borders and are important for their biodiversity, within it). habitat connectivity, agricultural productivity, water » By 2013, Caring for our Country will assist at least resources and cultural values. 30 per cent of land managers in northern and remote Australia to increase their uptake of Due to the large geographical scope and sustainable grazing and land management cross-cutting issues, a targeted and collaborative practices. approach is required for environmental investments. Northern and Remote Australia Partnerships with Indigenous Australians have delivered » By 2013, Caring for our Country will reduce the successful outcomes for the environment, impact of invasive species including—in particular, capacity-building, social welfare and employment. cane toads, tramp ants and camels—in priority These partnerships have enabled local communities to areas in northern and remote Australia. take actions in their region, such as controlling invasive » By 2013, Caring for our Country will expand species, adopting sustainable grazing practices, traditional fire management regimes across at least using traditional ecological knowledge in land and 200 000 square kilometres of northern Australia’s sea management and reducing the incidence of savannas to reduce the incidence of unmanaged unmanaged fires through traditional fire management. fires and position Indigenous land managers for Such regimes protect essential ecosystem services and entry into emerging voluntary or other emissions the unique values of the land. These activities contribute trading markets. Funding was allocated to the North to both Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage. Alliance to deliver this project. Since 2008, Caring for our Country invested in Regional base-level funding was also invested in the delivering on-ground actions to address the complex 11 NRM bodies in northern and remote Australia to challenges associated with northern and remote deliver environmental outcomes, develop partnerships Australia. Northern and remote activities were indirectly and engage communities to build skills and knowledge funded through projects addressing targets in other in NRM. national priority areas. This approach provided opportunities to support northern and remote activities while achieving the biophysical targets and on-ground project outcomes of other theme areas. Caring for our Country assisted farmers to adopt sustainable land management practices. In northern and remote Australia, there were over 9000 recorded instances of farmers and land managers participating in projects to increase the uptake of sustainable practices. These projects included activities to better manage environmental assets, adjusting seasonal stocking rates to reduce soil erosion and improving weed and pest animal management. 5 Caring for our Country investments across northern and Information for measuring the success of activities remote Australia contributed to the broader long-term for this national priority area is based on internal and objective of a healthier and well-managed environment. proponent project reporting as part of the Caring for our Priority sites were strategically selected for their high Country MERI Strategy, and commissioned evaluations conservation values and natural resource issues. for the Working on Country program. While significant Caring for our Country has protected and enhanced progress has been made in improving environmental priority sites in northern and remote Australia by: protection for northern and remote assets, there are challenges for the future. In particular, key threats » implementing on-ground plans of management for which require management are controlling the spread the NRS and IPAs within it of invasive species and protecting ecosystem services » working with local Indigenous groups, land from the effects of climate change. managers and farmers to secure better environmental outcomes while supporting sustainable development » increasing the protection of Australia’s biodiversity from invasive species such as cane toads, feral camels, tramp ants, and Weeds of National Significance. Outcome 1 Through strong partnerships and collaboration, the NRS creates a network of areas which Protect important natural assets in northern are managed to protect biodiversity and and remote Australia, particularly the important ecosystems. The NRS includes National Reserve System (and Indigenous protected areas across the country which are Protected Areas within it). established, and effectively managed, by the Australian Government, state, territory and local The National Reserve System is Australia’s network governments, Indigenous communities, private of formally recognised protected areas and is the landholders and non-government organisations. cornerstone of national efforts to provide long-term protection of terrestrial biodiversity. It represents Australia’s commitment to protect the land and inland The protected area network is a key element in meeting water systems vital to the survival of our unique native the Australian Government’s international commitment species, ecosystems and associated cultural values to the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. Northern and Remote Australia for future generations. A large amount of northern and The Australian and state and territory governments remote Australia is being managed as part of the NRS also have committed to Australia’s Strategy for the to protect high conservation value ecosystems. Under National Reserve System 2009–2030, which establishes Caring for our Country, the NRS in northern and remote a national partnership approach and provides Australia increased by over 17.5 million hectares, with guidance on the development and management of the the addition of 22 NRS properties and declaration of protected area network. Australia currently has almost 15 IPAs within this region. 10 000 terrestrial protected areas covering more than 117 million hectares, or 15.25 per cent of Australia’s land mass, which is well on track to meet international and national obligations. Darwin " Brisbane Perth " Sydney Adelaide Canberra Melbourne 0 500 1,500 km Hobart 250 1,000 2,000 Northern & Remote Australia National Reserve System and Indigenous Protected Areas National Reserve System and Indigenous Protected Areas in northern and remote Australia. Source ERIN, DESWPaC 7 Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area, Northern Territory The Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area is located on the western Arnhem Land plateau,