Funding success for desert fire and biodiversity project

Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) is delighted to announce that it’s one of 13 Aboriginal organisations to successfully receive funding as part of the WA state government’s five-year Aboriginal Ranger Program.

The funding will provide employment for four rangers to work on a desert fire and biodiversity project, in partnership with Karajarri Traditional Lands Association. The project will involve improving the fire management, cultural knowledge, and biodiversity within the Great Sandy Desert sections of the Karajarri and Ngurrara Indigenous Protected Areas, and the jointly managed areas of Kurriji Pa Yajula and Walyarta Nature Reserves. All up, the project area covers approximately 110,000km2. 

YAC’s CEO Peter Murray, says he welcomes this funding for the opportunity it provides to work with Ngurrara’s Karajarri neighbours on an area of special cultural and conservation significance.

“The area we’re talking about is home to the federally vulnerable bilby and it’s one of three refugia that’s free of foxes and rabbits. It also borders the Paraku IPA, where the elusive and critically endangered night parrot was recently spotted. This will have a bearing on our fire management of the area,” Mr Murray says.

A key concern of the project is to reduce late season wildfires, which can cause devastation to country. This will be done through controlled burns, where our rangers will travel by foot, car, helicopter and plane, to ensure the protection of cultural sites, threatened species and ecological communities.

As the project progresses, YAC will continue to investigate other ways to grow its ranger program.

“YAC’s aim is to become self-sustaining. We have a permit system in place along the Canning Stock Route and are looking to avenues to grow the tourism potential there; we’re also building the capacity of our rangers so that they can then take on fee for service work. YAC’s committed to creating employment opportunities on Ngurrara country and to looking after our country and its stories,” Mr Murray says.

For more information, please visit our website: www.yanunijarra.com. For media enquiries, please contact Madelaine Dickie on madelaine@kred.org.au.