Announcing the winner of the...
Northern Territory Indigenous Grant for Bird Research and Conservation
29/5/2023 by Amanda Lilleyman
Indigenous Rangers from the heart of Kakadu win new bird conservation award
This year BirdLife Australia has been fortunate to receive a generous sponsorship from Jackadder International to fund the Northern Territory Indigenous Grant for Bird Research and Conservation, a grant open to Indigenous ranger groups and community groups located in the Northern Territory.
The grant was established to support activities that protect birds on Country and was open from January to April 2023.
BirdLife Australia recognises that Indigenous knowledge of native Australian birds, their lifecycles and habitat needs is profound and has made substantial contributions to science and bird conservation. With the Northern Territory Indigenous Grant for Bird Research and Conservation, BirdLife Australia wishes to acknowledge these contributions and facilitate the engagement of Indigenous Peoples in research and conservation of native birds.
We are pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural Northern Territory Indigenous Grant for Bird Research and Conservation is the Djurrubu Rangers.
CEO of Jackadder International, Lou Martini
“Jackadder International is proud to support the conservation of the Territory’s amazing birds and we recognise the importance of Indigenous knowledge and capabilities in managing threatened species.”
“We are excited to have the opportunity to support this inaugural award and look forward to an ongoing partnership with BirdLife Australia and Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory.”
The Djurrubu Rangers care for Mirarr Country, located within the world heritage-listed Kakadu National Park in the north of the Northern Territory. The rangers operate within the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation and manage the land and water using fire management, feral animal control, weed removal, and cultural heritage management. This grant will support the rangers to continue their work on the Yirlinkirrkirr/White-throated Grasswren (Amytornis woodwardia), an endemic bird species listed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and a priority species under the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032. Mirarr Country also has three Key Biodiversity Areas located on it; the Kakadu Savanna KBA, Alligator Rivers Floodplain KBA, and Arnhem Plateau KBA, which indicates it is an area with high biodiversity values according to IUCN criteria.
Award panellist
“The Djurrubu Rangers are a worthy recipient of this grant, as they want to increase bird conservation on Mirarr Country through monitoring and making their community more aware of the needs of birds and provide an avenue for people to direct care and knowledge towards culturally significant species”
This announcement coincides with National Reconciliation Week and we want to recognise that the First People of Australia have faced injustices and as part of a truth telling process, we acknowledge that colonisation and past actions have caused the intergenerational trauma that exists today. We all have a role to play in achieving reconciliation in Australia. Colonisation of the lands has also contributed to the destruction of the environment and the losses of biodiversity, including bird species.
In working towards reconciliation, our Bird Conservation Strategy states that:
BirdLife Australia will deepen the relationship between BirdLife Australia and First Nations peoples for mutual benefit and for positive conservation outcomes. We will increase opportunities to exchange knowledge and perspectives and opportunities to collaborate with First Nations peoples, through partnerships to conserve and restore threatened bird species and their habitats and to ensure that policies and decision-making processes incorporate First Nations peoples’ perspectives with their free, prior and informed consent.
Congratulations to Djurrubu Rangers, we look forward to working with you and supporting your bird projects.
