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Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers
Partnership prospectus
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
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Further informationDave Wildermuth, Manager Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (07) 3330 5295
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ContentsIntroduction ..................................................................................... 4
Our vision ........................................................................................ 4
Current ranger locations .................................................................. 5
You’re invited .................................................................................. 6
How to accept this proposal ............................................................ 6
Corporate partnerships .................................................................... 7
Environmental benefits .................................................................... 8
Cultural benefits .............................................................................. 13
Community benefits ........................................................................ 15
OverviewQueensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers Program has been:
• contributing to the protection of Queensland’s ecosystems and Indigenous cultural heritage
• increasing meaningful involvement of Indigenous people in land and sea country management
• increasing economic opportunities in ranger communities
• achieving outcomes where other programs have fallen short, particularly in terms of employment and capacity building outcomes.
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IntroductionThe Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program is a highly successful initiative that is delivering real environmental and employment outcomes in some of the most environmentally sensitive parts of our state.
It is a unique community ranger program that provides an avenue for business to be part of protecting exceptional environmental values while creating real economic benefits for Indigenous communities.
The program’s initial focus area was northern Queensland and the Lake Eyre Basin. There is now opportunity to progress other environmental priorities.
Land and Sea Rangers presently look after areas of Queensland with iconic natural values including the wetlands of Cape York, parts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Lake Eyre Basin.
Rangers undertake a wide range of activities including weed and feral animal control, fire management, fencing of wetlands, land restoration, erosion mitigation, wildlife management and recovery, community education and visitor management. These activities have widespread benefits including preventing wildfires, reducing carbon emissions and maintaining biodiversity.
Our visionBe part of an important and exciting program which continues to provide important environmental services across the state caring for pristine waterways, protected species and managing the land and sea.
The program supports capacity building in local Indigenous communities and engaging Traditional Owners and other community members in the development of a local natural resource management economy.
Demand to expand the programThere is high demand from communities for additional funding for Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers. The department has received ‘Expression of Interest’ applications for over 100 new ranger positions from 25 Indigenous organisations.
If you have a specific area you are interested in, please let us know as we are working in a number of other areas.
“Ranger to me means a lot because I’m looking after my culture, something that is part of me,
my country, everything.”
—Senior Ranger
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Current ranger locationsThe Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program cares for land and sea country and increases Indigenous participation in environmental management.
Sixty-five Land and Sea Rangers are currently contracted to 15 regional communities throughout North and Western Queensland.
Land and Sea Rangers are employed through local Indigenous host organisations, with funding from the Queensland Government, supporting the capacity building of community organisations.
Existing ranger positions are located across Queensland, working around Pormpuraaw, Mapoon, Normanton, Burketown, Georgetown, Cardwell, Injinoo, Aurukun, Laura, Melsonby, Archer Point, Wujal Wujal, Home Hill, Mount Isa and Longreach communities.
Ongoing discussions with local Traditional Owners, regional bodies, local governments and other key stakeholders will help guide the process of placing any further Land and Sea Rangers throughout Queensland.
The program is managed by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
EvaluationAn external evaluation of the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers Program was carried out in 2015 to scope its currency, effectiveness and reach.
The evaluation found that the program shows evidence of a contribution towards three of the seven Closing the Gap targets including:
• improving Indigenous employment outcomes
• improving Indigenous school attendance
• improving life expectancy through improved health, mental health and wellbeing.
The report states ‘Accountability and requirement to deliver meaningful outcomes distinguish the Program from less successful work programs and results in rangers building real work skills.’
EHP’s financial governance of the program was audited in 2014 and met all the requirements.
South Australia
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New South Wales
Date produced: 18/04/2013 | File: 30333 LandSeaRangers map A4.eps | Produced by Biodiversity Assessment, Ecosystem Outcomes.
All data integrated into this product has been projected to the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA94) in accordance with the Geocentric Datum of Australia Technical Manual and the requirements of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this product, the Queensland Government makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which might be incurred as a consequence of reliance on the product, or as a result of the product being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason.© Environment and Heritage Protection, State of Queensland.
Birdsville
BRISBANE
Bundaberg
Gladstone
Rockhampton
Mackay
Longreach
HughendenCloncurry
Mount Isa
Camooweal Charters Towers Home Hill
Townsville
Cardwell
GeorgetownNormantonBurketown
Cairns
Wujal WujalLaura
Archer Point
N
Pormpuraaw
CoenAurukun
Mapoon
Injinoo
1250 250 500
2
2
5
3
3
5
Number of rangers
6 6
6
5
4
54
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Land and Sea Rangers employedMay 2015
5
Melsonby
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Your sponsorship opportunity Your commitment Your benefits
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers team (4–5 rangers)
Up to $2.1M* over 3 years for a single team • An opportunity for your staff to network and build relationships with rangers, and spend time on country learning more about conservation management of some of the most iconic and deeply cultural landscapes in the world from traditional owners that work as Indigenous rangers.
• Exclusive opportunities to participate in world leading projects on country including Ministerial launches.
• Brand recognition in all project material including media releases, feature articles, events, web materials and media promotions.
• Association with dedicated web and social media environments including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
• Logo, acknowledgement and sponsor profile page within a high quality, full colour ‘coffee table’ project book, including photographs and quotes from sponsor representatives.
• Association with any national and international documentaries produced to showcase the Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program.
• Invitations to and media association with a proposed national launch declaring all program sponsors.
• The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection will provide continuous project management through a program agreement that includes training, mentoring and support.
An additional ranger for an existing team $150,000* per year (minimum of 3 years)
Equipment for a ranger team e.g. vehicle or boat
Purchase cost of the equipment
A dedicated conservation program
• threatened species protection e.g. marine turtles
• weed and feral animal control
• habitat protection
To be negotiated
Junior ranger program activity (annual camp, support products, excursions)
$10,000–$100,000
Business mentoring—to support rangers towards diversification of the conservation economy
In-kind or financial contribution to be negotiated
Local project tailored to meet your corporate objectives and values
• eco/cultural tourism ventures
• upgrade to ranger facility
To be negotiated
You’re invitedThe Queensland Government is seeking assistance from the corporate sector to expand the Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program. Many projects, ongoing and proposed, are the first of their kind having never been tackled on country before. The program will continue to attract global media interest, particularly with regard to ghost nets, dugong and turtle research, and Junior Ranger programs.
Investment opportunities range from sponsoring a ranger team to specific on-ground projects and the supply of equipment and materials.
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) will assist with matching your investment to a suitable Indigenous community or to specific outcomes.
EHP will provide training and mentoring support for participating Indigenous organisations to manage contractual arrangements and project reporting requirements.
You need to be a part of this program if you care about:
• Indigenous culture
• sustainable future
• protection of cultural values
• being part of a community
• employment opportunities.
How to accept this proposalIf you would like to take advantage of the sponsorship opportunities outlined in this proposal, please email the department at [email protected] or for further information phone (07) 3330 5295.
*Funding provided for rangers will support salaries, operational expenses, training and mentoring and administrations costs.
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Corporate partnershipsSome examples of existing successful corporate partnerships are detailed below.
Origin EnergyIn July 2013, Origin Energy conducted a leadership and remote first aid training exercise with the Apudthama Land and Sea Rangers based at Injinoo in Cape York. Twenty-one South-West Queensland Origin staff worked with the rangers on team work exercises, cultural awareness and a survey of the rare and endangered freshwater Jardine River Turtle.
This partnership between Origin and the rangers saw a two-way benefit for each of the parties involved. Origin staff and the rangers benefited from participating in the various patrols, survey and training activities. Through a fee for service arrangement the rangers received further equipment and training while providing a unique experience to Origin staff in a unique and remote location.
In 2014 Origin sent around 30 staff to Injinoo for remote first aid training, and the Jardine River Turtle survey discovered the first turtles seen for 20 years, sparking national media coverage.
GlencoreAs part of their work to support the local environment, Gudjuda rangers based at Home Hill near Ayr, are promoting a better understanding of the population and health of marine turtles (Flatback, Green, Hawksbill and Loggerhead) in North Queensland through tagging and collecting species data.
Mining company Glencore has funded a research ‘mother’ ship—a larger, flat deck pontoon style vessel that will allow rangers to undertake turtle research ‘on-water’. The vessel will also provide access to other areas which are not accessible by road, allowing the rangers to undertake flora and fauna surveys, weed management and other land management activities.
“The Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program helps grow economic opportunities and provides stable,
full-time employment to Indigenous people, many in remote communities where unemployment rates are high.
“The program has a strong retention rate and it provides a career pathway—both within the program and in the
private and public sectors.”
—Dave Wildermuth Manager Queensland Indigenous Land
and Sea Rangers program
South Cape York Catchments, winners of the Community category of the 2014 Queensland Reconciliation Awards, sponsored by Thiess
“We have a strong focus on environmental management across our operations and we take a proactive approach
on identifying opportunities to support programs and initiatives that can deliver good outcomes in this area.”
—Craig Strudwich Community Relations Manager, Glencore
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Environmental benefitsThe Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program is delivering on the Queensland Government’s commitment to protect the state’s unique ecosytems. The rangers’ achievements in delivering the state’s objectives, have been impressive.
Land and Sea Rangers implemented a wide range of activities including weed and feral animal control, fire management, fencing of wetlands, land restoration, erosion mitigation, wildlife management and recovery, community education and visitor management.
Rangers have treated over 475,000 hectares of pest plants. Many of Queensland’s remote rivers and coastlines are regularly patrolled with more than 4,000 ghost nets removed, saving endangered species including turtles and dugongs from entrapment.
Monitoring the health of rare marine turtles, North Queensland Many of the ranger groups located near the Great Barrier Reef are actively involved in marine turtle research. Flatback, Green, Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles are being caught, tagged and released providing much needed data for population monitoring and research.
“Now we’re getting an indication of the population size and regularity of nesting activity, and we’ve got a good
handle on nesting survival rates.”
—Research partner, Program Evaluation 2015
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Water quality monitoring, Lake Eyre Basin river systemsThe river systems of the Lake Eyre Basin are the lifeblood of the channel country, supporting a unique range of aquatic species. The Lake Eyre Basin Rangers, based at Longreach and Mt Isa, are supporting efforts to monitor the health of the important watercourses of the channel country.
Through the Lake Eyre Basin Rivers Assessment (LEBRA) monitoring program, Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are working alongside Queensland Government scientists to complete regular assessments of native fish stocks and water quality. Rangers undertake fish surveys, water sampling and hydrological monitoring in the Georgina and Diamantina river systems and remove any non-native species encountered along the way. LEBRA provides a great example of how rangers and government scientists can work together to support the long term protection of some of Queensland’s most valuable environmental assets.
“It’s given me more confidence. After all this training you get your confidence up more, and you think ‘I can do that’.
Then you might go even further, and become a mentor in the community.”
—Senior Ranger
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Feral pig control The Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program provides funding, mentoring and training support to ranger groups to develop their land and sea management capacity, including in the important area of feral animal control.
Ranger groups have been doing important work to protect marine turtles by reducing predation by feral pigs. On some beaches feral pigs have destroyed more than 80 per cent of turtle nests and caused significant damage to wetlands. Ranger groups have been reducing pig populations in Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria since 2008. In this period the groups have collectively removed over 90,000 feral animals, predominantly pigs.
The rangers have established partnerships with local pastoralists to develop a long term feral pig management program, and train landowners in effective pest management. They conduct annual aerial culling, baiting and trapping, exclusion fencing of sites of significance, and conduct ongoing monitoring on impacts of control efforts.
“In the last three years we have reduced predation of turtles by feral pigs from 80 per cent to 16 per cent.”
—Senior Ranger
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Cultural benefitsCultural outcomes include improved Indigenous access to traditional lands and protection of cultural assets by managing threats including fencing of wetlands and culturally sensitive areas.
Rangers support elders in sharing their knowledge of country with the next generation through the Junior Ranger program.
Rock Art site identification and recording, Laura, Cape YorkSouthern Cape York Catchments (SCYC) brings together Traditional Owners, volunteers, scientists and schools to protect and promote the region’s rich cultural heritage and environment.
By establishing Indigenous Land and Sea ranger teams in Laura and Melsonby, SCYC is supporting Traditional Owners to work on country and to pass on cultural heritage to younger generations.
From 2008, the Laura rangers have worked with Traditional Owners to re-discover, record, protect and, where appropriate, raise awareness of important cultural heritage sites in Laura, and to protect the UNESCO recognised iconic rock art sites in the Quinkan reserve.
The Quinkan galleries near Laura, four hours drive from Cairns, are among the largest collection of rock art in the world, stretching over 230,000 hectares of sandstone uplands. Dating back at least 30,000 years, the galleries take their name from the Quinkan spirits—spirit protectors and mischief makers of local Aboriginal lore.
UNESCO considers the area one of the top 10 rock art sites in the world.
The Laura ranger group promotes understanding of traditional culture through rock-art tours for local school children and visitors, installing interpretative signage and developing guidance material for tour operators.
Rangers use quad bikes, satellite navigation and data recorders to explore the area to document the unique rock art. The rangers have recorded almost 300 sites over the past three years.
It’s estimated the area contains 10,500 galleries. The dimensions of each site are measured, photographed and recorded by GPS location.
The Laura rangers were winners of the community category of the 2014 Queensland Reconciliation Awards.
“We do interviewing with Elders and collect their stories and dances, it is all recorded electronically so we have
that forever.”
—Senior Ranger
“Being a ranger to me means a lot, because I’m looking after my culture, something that is part of me, and country.”
—Senior Ranger
“I became a ranger to look after the rock art…to be able to pass it on down the line to our kids, like our parents did.”
—Senior Ranger
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Junior Rangers programRangers see the importance of educating the next generation about looking after country–they have become mentors to children in their communities through the Junior Rangers program.
Primarily focused on education, the Junior Rangers program involves children in ranger communities learning about the country on which they live from Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers and traditional owners.
The work program of every ranger group includes Junior Ranger activities. These include camps, crocodile awareness lessons and tours of cultural sites. Junior rangers are often included in ranger activities such as beach clean-ups and days of special significance such as World Ranger Day.
The intergenerational component of the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program is strengthening as the program builds. Many children in ranger communities look at becoming a ranger themselves because of the respect rangers have in their communities.
“The kids want to be rangers. They love some of the video presentations they put together. I think they would love to be rangers and I think this Junior Ranger program
will have more of an impact on them. Once again if it’s run by the Land and Sea Ranger program it’s going to be
a well run show.”
—Ranger Coordinator
“Thank you to the Rangers for their support around our attendance strategy this term and the prizes for the
students who achieved 100 per cent attendance this term.”
—Pormpuraaw School Principal
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Community benefitsThe Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program supports economic and social development and provides stable, full-time employment to Indigenous people–many in remote communities where unemployment rates are above 30 per cent.
The program has a high retention rate of approximately 85 per cent, providing a career pathway for many. Rangers from the program have moved on to mining companies in positions such as apprentice mechanics and carpenters, and with government organisations such as Queensland Health and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
The Indigenous unemployment rate in Queensland is currently 17.2 per cent (ABS, 2011).
Queensland’s first trial harvesting of wild crocodile eggs, Pormpuraaw, Cape YorkIn Pormpuraaw, Land and Sea Rangers collected data to support research into the potential for a sustainable crocodile egg harvest in key rivers on Pormpuraaw Aboriginal land in western Cape York Peninsula, as a means to generate local economic opportunity.
As part of regular crocodile surveys and relocation of nests, rangers harvested crocodile eggs from nests in areas affected by extensive flooding. By only collecting eggs with a high risk of flood-related mortality before heavy rains of the monsoon season, there is little risk to the wild population.
The pilot project is now complete.
“To be recognised by the community, that we’re here, we want to be part of the community…it’s really brought us
together…that’s changed huge attitudes in the community.”
—Ranger Coordinator
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“As a community liaison officer for AQIS, I do a lot of work with all the rangers. They are a credit to themselves and their communities.
The pride shown by their groups and their communities is outstanding...it is possibly one of the best things I have seen within
the communities that I work.”
—Bruce Lansdown Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS)
Cyclone Yasi case study Ewamian rangers are funded under the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers program. Their work focuses on activities on Tallaroo Station and important sites on Ewamian traditional lands, which covers about 26,000 square kilometres in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The area contains the catchments of the Staaten River, Vanrook Creek, and 10 major tributaries, and is represented by five traditional owner groups.
Ewamian rangers partnered with rangers from the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation Ranger Program in the clean up across the Cardwell area after Cyclone Yasi devastated the community. Rangers were able to put their chainsaw and communications skills to the test.
Ewamian rangers were selected as state finalists for the 2014 Queensland Safer Communities Awards for their quick response and recovery efforts in Cardwell following the destruction caused by Cyclone Yasi. They received an Encouragement Award for their work.
Since Cyclone Yasi, rangers have commenced training for the Natural Disaster Leadership course, run by Queensland Volunteering and Emergency Management Queensland.
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Sea turtle rescue and monitoring, Archer Point, Cooktown Yuku Baja Muliku rangers from the Cooktown area are developing effective sea country management practices for the future through marine turtle and sea grass monitoring programs.
The Yuku Baja Muliku Traditional Custodians and rangers have finalised a Sea Country Management Plan and a Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA). The TUMRA has been accredited by the Queensland and Australian governments. As part of these plans, rangers will now have an ongoing role in land management, patrols, compliance and marine animal management, which includes turtle rescue and rehabilitation. Rangers have completed training in turtle wrangling and tagging and have started tagging, measuring and recording data from a number of species to add to a population database.
Rangers recognised a need for a turtle rehabilitation centre after Cyclone Yasi severely impacted the turtle feeding grounds off Archer Point and surrounding areas. The emerging sea grass was nearly wiped out causing the local turtle population severe stress. A turtle rehabilitation shelter has now been constructed, with large marine tanks used for rehabilitation of sick or injured turtles.
Sea grass monitoring is carried out at least four times a year by rangers collecting data on the species, seed bank, numbers and area covered.
“I spend more time on country then what I have done in the past. It’s got that good feeling when you go out bush, that peace.
Sometimes you can sit down and you think to yourself. I love going out bush now, before this job you would have been lucky to get me out
of the house but now it’s a good thing seeing sunset, seeing good country, working with turtles, and you get to see the other guys
country as well which is good.”
—Senior Ranger
“When I go out to the bush with the boys, and I see it in the boys
too, they go out with passion. It’s because they do love the
bush, they know we live off it, our ancestors lived off it and if we
don’t protect it then we’re selfish, because then we’re not protecting it and handing our knowledge of it
on for the next generation.”
—Senior Ranger
“We are learning skills from non-Indigenous people and bringing this together with the traditional knowledge. As a ranger that is an
important part of our role.”
—Senior Ranger
“I just want to learn. I couldn’t read and write too well, now I
know I can achieve a lot of things. I love it, I love the challenge. I don’t want to stop. If you keep
teaching me, I’ll keep learning.”
—Senior Ranger
“Rangers see the importance of educating the next generation
about looking after country and they have become mentors to
children in their communities and the next generation.”
—Senior Ranger
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