This week's annual Central Land Council (CLC) ranger camp at Ross River will see Indigenous Rangers from across the southern half of the NT mix traditional knowledge with the latest technology.
The main professional development event for CLC's 14 ranger groups, the camp will take place at the Ross River Resort east of Alice Springs from Tuesday to Thursday, and for the first time, female rangers will train in women-only groups, ensuring they gain hands-on experience with digital tools.
"This 'by women, for women' training empowers female rangers to develop their skills in a supportive environment," CLC general manager Mischa Cartwright said.
The accredited training will see Rangers learn to fly drones to capture images of the land for monitoring programs, including night-time demonstrations of infrared drone sensor technology, which allows Rangers to capture 3D footage and survey 24 hours a day.
They will also get practice using software to manage data from flora and fauna surveys, produce maps of Country and use digital mapping to allow Traditional Owners to be virtually brought out onto Country.
The camp will also see Rangers learn how to collect and share land management data with technology, as well as install and use sensor cameras to help photograph and monitor endangered species and their predators.
Warlpiri ranger Travis Penn, from Yuendumu, said he was excited for the camp, and was looking forward to expanding on his knowledge and experience of Google Pro Earth and other map-producing technology.
"It will be good to use this new technology to show elders the work we're doing on their country," he said.
"We need more practice in our region, and I hope we can do more of that this year."
The training sessions will also utilise traditional land management skills, the CLC said, including cool season burning and animal tracking with western fire and feral animal management techniques, with the Rangers learning how to trap and bait feral foxes and cats, snake handling, first aid, 4WD operations and weed killing.
Rangers from the NT Parks and Wildlife Service, as well as the Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ngaanyatjarra Council, are also attending, and on Tuesday, the Batchelor Institute will celebrate graduating Rangers with conservation and land management certificates.