Caring for Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board ountry Edition 1 |2012 From the Road, Urrbrae) where we are in strong partnerships with Aboriginal Regional Manager’s Desk close proximity to State and Federal stakeholders and communities across Government partners (also located the region. Some of the fantastic at the Waite). This will assist us in outcomes which have been delivered strengthening partnerships and are highlighted in this newsletter. Palya! delivery arrangements. Personally, I am extremely excited The Alinytjara Wilurara (AW) region The Waite is located amongst beautiful about what the next 12-24 months has gone through some major changes surrounds, and we encourage our holds for the AW region. Enjoy! over the past year. The Department of regional partners to drop in whenever Environment, and Natural Resources they come to the big smoke. Matt Ward amalgamated with the Department A/Regional Manager of Water on 1 July to form our new We also have some significant changes Natural Resources - Alinytjara Wilurara Department of Environment, Water in staff. We will be welcoming our DEWNR and Natural Resources (DEWNR). With new and very experienced Regional full transition complete all Alinytjara Manager to the team in October, we Wilurara Natural Resouces (AW NR) have a new Regional Project Officer, staff are now employed by DEWNR. As Nathan Williams who recently started Contents in Ceduna and who by all reports is such we will continue to deliver Caring This issue... for Country projects and implement doing an exceptional job and Helen the AW NRM Regional Plan in Donald, our new Communications/ Regional Manager’s Update Executive Officer who has hit the partnership with the AW NRM Board, Fire Mangement Strategy communities and other stakeholders. ground running liaising and supporting the AW NR Board, managing our Teaming up to take care of DEWNR’s message is to... publications and generally looking for Googs Lake, Yumbarra ways to raise the profile of the AW Mamungari Big Women’s Trip increase our focus on managing region and the NR work being done Minmya Tjutaku Manta the state’s natural resources in there. close partnership with regional Rockhole recovery stakeholders and communities Despite the challenges which change Yalata – Re-vegetation and inevitably brings, I believe the new beach clean-up department provides a perfect Regional DEWNR Natural Resource framework for delivering community New Community Grants Centres that support local interaction based Caring for Country in the AW Nullarbor Bio-monitoring Project are opening across South Australia region. In fact, I would go as far to say NRM – Indulkana Community with the Natural Resources Centre to that the AW region is leading the state be opened in mid October in Ceduna. in engaging and employing Aboriginal Weather stations This service centre will accommodate communities in Caring for Country and both AW and Eyre Peninsula staff Dreamweaver: Supporting NRM projects, which will hopefully Women’s Participation in NRM who will increasingly be working in lead to long-term employment and partnership across the AW region. broader community development. Whale Survey The AW NR Board, AW Regional In late June, our Adelaide office Oak Valley Land Management Management Team and AW staff have moved to the Waite Institute (Waite Welcomes and Farewells all been working tirelessly to develop ALINYTJARA WILURARA NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT BOARD Fire Management Strategy draft for the Objectives of the Fire Management Strategy AW Region 1. Support Anangu Fire y integrate active management Management aspirations with natural fire events to y Support the integration and maintain and improve the continuity of traditional viability of native species, knowledge into fire populations, communities and management in the region habitats in the strategy area 2. Protect Life and Property 6 Identify Training, Resource and y minimise the risk that Infrastructure Requirements bushfire poses to life and y identify training, equipment property, including significant and staffing requirements. infrastructure, within the strategy area 7. Identify Suppression Considerations Buffle Grass burning at Umuwa y develop community awareness y identify existing response plans The Alinytjara Wilurara Fire and education strategies and associated suppression Management Strategy has been considerations. developed to help facilitate fire 3. Protect Areas of Cultural Significance management planning across the AW 8. Manage Fire Risk and Public y ensure that sites and areas NRM Region. Access important in Anangu culture are y identify visitor management Nine different landscapes have been protected from the threat of issues defined, according to biogeographic, bushfire soil and land types to make fire 9. Manage Post-fire management more practical across the 4. Manage Fuels on a Landscape Rehabilitation and Recovery AW region’s 28.5 million hectares. Scale y reduce likelihood of whole 10. Manage Adaptively Two landscapes, the Bunda Cliffs and reserve and/or area of y manage adaptively by Yalata coast, including marine areas contiguous native vegetation continuously improving in the Regions boundaries, are not burning in single bushfire event knowledge of fire regimes discussed in the fire strategy. required by species, 5. Protect and Enhance populations, communities The AW Fire Management Strategy Biodiversity and habitats through ongoing provides a framework for Anangu y protect important habitats (referring to any Aboriginal person with and provide for the protection monitoring and research. an interest in the AW Region in this of fauna and flora species strategy) to develop fire management of cultural and conservation plans and/or annual work programmes significance at a landscape scale for seven Fire Management Landscapes in partnership (ngapartji- As Dr. Malcolm Gill, Australia’s pre-eminent contemporary fire ecologist, has ngapartji) with supporting agencies. suggested that: The fire management strategies are developed using a risk-based, The possibility of emplacement of ‘traditional’ fire regimes…., through the landscape-scale approach to restoration of cultural practices, depends on the legacy of traditional knowledge address life and property, cultural and its application within a context of changed landscapes, changed cultural and ecological protection needs mores and contemporary management aspirations. and combines traditional ecological (Gill 2000, pg 5) knowledge and scientific information to support contemporary Anangu On DEWNR managed reserves within the strategy area standard DEWNR fire aspirations and protect and enhance management policy and procedure will be applied, where appropriate and in biodiversity. accordance with existing reserve management plans. www.awnrm.sa.gov.au It is not the intention of this strategy Teaming up to take care of Googs Lake, Yumbarra to replace or direct cultural fire Conservation Park management activities undertaken by Anangu on Anangu lands, Just a few hours’ drive north of Ceduna, is the entranceway to the largest whether carried out by traditional remaining continuous Mallee ecosystem in Australia: Yumbarra Conservation or contemporary means. Rather, Park and Yellabinna Regional Reserve. As well as being a significant biological this strategy seeks to support corridor, these lands are inextricably linked to culture, with a living-connection the integration and continuity of to country sustained by the aboriginal people of the region, including numerous traditional knowledge within fire sacred sites such as rock assemblages and rockholes. management in the region, based upon Googs Lake is a significant salt lake within Yumbarra, a place loved by many for contemporary Anangu aspirations and the unique wilderness camping experience it provides. Over the years, locals and the maintenance and enhancement of rangers have noticed that the area around the lake is becoming degraded, with biodiversity. unrestricted and uninformed 4WD access causing damage to important cultural On Anangu owned land, it is the sites, and to fragile native habitats. Anangu owners who must have Eyre Peninsula Ranger Tammy Cox, AW staff Ollanta Lipcer, Phil Landless, The final say about the management of West Mallee Protection group and local volunteers have teamed together to their country, and be supported to revegetate and rehabilitate the area around the lake and to protect and promote implement their plans by relevant land the special place that it is. management agencies. It is important that all agencies work together to build trust and collaborate effectively, to provide the best possible support to Anangu. This includes sharing resources and information, and working with landowners and their organisations to make equitable and accepted resource allocation decisions. On country that is to be jointly Preparing old tracks for re-vegetation Aaron Birnell closing old tracks managed, it is vital that the process In June this year they spent 5 days working at the lake, closing old tracks, and of joint management - Tjungaringu working to promote the regeneration of local species around the lake. There in Anangu - “reinforces Nguraritja were kids, volunteers and local trainees all pitching in, closing old tracks, (Aboriginal traditional owners) as the scattering seed, clearing up rubbish, monitoring weeds, and cultivating the soil to custodians and interpreters of their encourage some natural regeneration. own culture, and advocates for the But it is only the