Indigenous land and water managers from across Australia will gather on Larrakia Country in Darwin from Wednesday to Friday this week at the Dangkal Gwo'yal-wa (Strong Country) Land and Water Management Forum.
For the first time in more than ten years, Indigenous rangers and Indigenous Protected Area providers will gather together and have an opportunity to build stronger connections and share the knowledge needed to care for Country into the future.
The Forum's theme is Healthy Country, Healthy Water, Healthy Communities.
The National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation are partnering to deliver the Dangkal Gwo'yal-wa Forum, which will also focus on strengthening sector governance and building organisational capacity and capabilities.
Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation chief executive Joe Morrison said the forum is a "crucial moment for land and sea managers from across the country to unite".
"The Forum is a vital space to share knowledge, stories, and strategies for protecting Country," he said.
"The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation is proud to be a partner of the Forum and we will continue to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia to achieve their aspirations for their Country and families."
On Tuesday, Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a joint statement that the federal government is ensuring that First Nations people are "at the forefront of conservation efforts", by investing $1.3 billion to support the Indigenous Ranger Program and more than $230 million to expand Indigenous Protected Areas.
The ministers noted that Indigenous rangers and Indigenous land and water managers play an important role in the health of the country through their valuable knowledge and hard work in communities, and that Indigenous rangers are increasingly taking the lead or playing a vital role in disaster recovery efforts and mitigation activities.
Senator McCarthy said the forum marks "a significant moment" as Indigenous rangers and land managers come together to "share their invaluable knowledge and strengthen their connections with Country".
"Our investment in expanding the Indigenous Ranger Program and Indigenous Protected Areas is not just supporting conservation; we're creating sustainable opportunities and driving economic growth within communities," she said.
"This Forum is an important step towards realising these goals and reinforcing our partnership with Indigenous communities."
Minister Plibersek noted that First Nations people have actively managed Country for 65,000 years.
"That's why we're empowering First Nations communities to protect Australia's environment, while also supporting local jobs and economic development," she said.
"This forum is a fantastic initiative. We all have so much to learn from Indigenous land and water managers about how we can better protect the diverse lands and waters of this country – and land managers have so much to share and learn from each other."
More information on the Dangkal Gwo'yal-wa forum is available online.
