New Indigenous Protected Area declared

Wunambal Gaambera country is a breathtaking region of extraordinary biological diversity and cultural richness in the remote north-west Kimberley. It spans millions of hectares of land and sea, almost 350 000 hectares of which have this week been declared the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).

Bush Heritage is extremely proud to have partnered with the Wunambal Gaambera people to develop a 'Healthy Country Plan' – a management plan for the new IPA – which was also launched this week on country.

The Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation first approached Bush Heritage Australia in 2006, and over the ensuing 5 years we have worked together closely to map out the best way to care for the land and its inhabitants.

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Traditional knowledge combined with modern science

The approach combines traditional knowledge, rules and responsibilities with modern science and technology to keep the Wunambal Gaambera people's uunguu – their living home – healthy.

Bush Heritage recognises that uunguu knowledge systems and traditional ecological knowledge are critical to achieving long-term conservation outcomes.

The key management activities for the new IPA are:

• establishing an effective fire regime
• managing feral animals and weeds
• recording and protecting cultural sites
• managing visitors
• surveying plants and animals, and
• building an effective understanding of traditional use of landscape resources.

Protection and management of this special country will conserve important habitat for a suite of endemic species, and protect vulnerable and endangered species including the Gouldian finch, red goshawk, dugong, northern quoll and Butler's dunnart.

A unique partnership

Bush Heritage and Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation are working together to assist the traditional owners implement effective management of their country.

This is the first time a conservation NGO in Australia has worked to develop this sort of long-term arrangement with an Aboriginal Traditional Owner body.

Bush Heritage is better known for buying land of high conservation value and protecting it, but a key part of our mission is also to work with Indigenous people to manage and protect high conservation value landscapes.

Media coverage

Kimberley area gets indigenous protection
Australian Geographic

Group wins fight for land and sea title
Kimberley Echo