Kimberley Ranger Network
Facilitated by the KLC, the Kimberley Ranger Network is comprised of 18 ranger groups and works to realise Indigenous aspirations to look after and manage country using a combination of traditional cultural knowledge, western science and modern technologies.
The KLC works to get better outcomes for country and support Kimberley rangers, Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs) and Traditional Owners through land and sea management support services.
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The Kimberley Land Council’s Indigenous fire management program is extremely important to the biodiversity of the environmentally significant Kimberley region. Highly skilled Indigenous rangers use traditional knowledge and techniques, together with modern science and technology, to fight fire with fire and reduce the likelihood of large uncontrolled wildfires.
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Carbon projects deliver significant funding to invest back into community and ranger projects, and have acted as a catalyst for ranger and capacity building of PBCs. They provide a sustainable source of funding which enables Traditional Owners to take control of their future.
The KLC is committed to right-way carbon project development which ensures the rights of Kimberley Aboriginal people will be upheld. It is critical that Traditional Owners providing consent for carbon projects on their country know what is being agreed to and that decision-making is in alignment with the best practice principles of free, prior and informed consent, which the KLC continues to advocate for.
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The Kimberley Land Council launched an innovative new two-way science program in 2022, which will see rangers working with schools to bring learning on-country. The program is currently working alongside the Bardi Jawi, Nyul Nyul and Ngurrara ranger teams to develop and deliver education programs to four schools across the Kimberley.
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The KLC has been working to progress Bardi Jawi, Mayala, Nyul Nyul and Paruku Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) and Healthy Country Planning. This planning has been used for nearly a decade in the Kimberley and beyond to help Aboriginal people look after their country, culture and resources. It encourages strong community engagement and ensures Aboriginal knowledge is central to planning processes.
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The KLC is dedicated to empowering Aboriginal women rangers by building ranger skills and capacity through training and development, as well as acknowledging their invaluable cultural knowledge of country. The increased participation of women has solidified the importance of women’s cultural knowledge of plants and animals and provided more pathways for female empowerment in community.
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The Kimberley is home to a diverse array of plants and animals that also hold significant cultural values. However, many of these animals and plants are under threat from inappropriate fire regimes, impacts of feral species like cats and cane toads, weeds, wildfires and their decline in population. The KLC continues to support ranger teams to reduce these threats to country, people and culture.
KLC ecologist Marlee Hutton supports ranger teams in their work to protect threatened species and habitats, conduct biodiversity surveys and manage feral animals and weeds in line with their Healthy Country Plans.
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Indigenous Protected Areas recognise Aboriginal people as land owners and managers and supports them to look after biodiversity hotspots and highly sensitive areas they want to see protected. In the Kimberley, there are nine Indigenous Protected Areas, of which four link together to create the largest Indigenous-owned conservation corridor in northern Australia.
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Each year the KLC provides training to rangers to obtain TAFE certifications in land management. These certifications provide rangers with fundamental skills to work in the land management industry. The skills and knowledge gained from the courses open up both work and study options for the rangers.
The Kimberley Ranger Network is underpinned by cultural values and the positive benefits of the program have been far and wide reaching. It has significantly improved community wellbeing, is working to reduce poverty through creating economic opportunities and is building leadership in communities.
The network has a regional governance structure founded on Indigenous cultural values. Aboriginal elders direct long-term conservation management plans, promote the transfer of traditional knowledge to younger generations and provide guidance, leadership and authority. The governance model connects all of the ranger groups together to ensure that not only are community goals being achieved at a local level but efforts are being made towards achieving targets at a regional and national level.
The Kimberley Ranger Network is supported by the Australian Federal Government and is proving to be a successful business model through integrating ecological, social and cultural values to generate economic growth in remote Aboriginal communities.
The Kimberley Ranger Network is creating not only jobs in remote communities but long-term career paths in the conservation and land management sector. The network employs about 70 full-time Indigenous rangers, six part-time administrative staff and almost 100 casual rangers and cultural advisers.
