Independent report finds funding critical to future of Indigenous Protected Areas

The Wilderness Society Inc
Media Release
January 9th 2007 
 
 
The Wilderness Society has called for increased Commonwealth and State Government funding and policy support for the groundbreaking Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) program following the release of an independent report into the program today.

IPAs are protected areas that are voluntarily declared on Aboriginal-owned and managed land, and meet international standards for nature conservation.

The Independent report acknowledges that IPAs are one of the most promising and effective initiatives in environment protection in Australia, with the 22 declared IPAs providing 66% of the total area of land added to the protected area estate over the last decade.

Mr Anthony Esposito, National Manager of the Indigenous Conservation program said, "Despite the considerable achievements of the IPA program, the report is clear that funding is not adequate to deliver and secure conservation outcomes and the range of social and economic benefits to remote communities that flow from the program. In response, Governments must take the opportunity to build a truly effective and expanding IPA program by making substantial new funding commitments."

"In addition, State and Territory governments should pursue Indigenous Protected Areas as an important part of their own environment commitments. The Wilderness Society recently submitted a detailed policy proposal to the Queensland Government to recognise and support IPAs. The report makes it clear that partnerships between the Commonwealth and State and Territory jurisdictions 'are at best variable, and often tenuous'."

"The Wilderness Society congratulates those Indigenous communities involved in IPAs on having established one of the most significant parts of the national reserve system in Australia. We also commend the Commonwealth Government for the progress to date — IPAs have been an Australian innovation in protected areas in line with the best practice in international conservation policy.

"Indigenous Protected Areas are a success story for the environment and for Indigenous Australians and are important to developing a social and economic future for remote communities, providing jobs, and protecting natural and cultural heritage," Mr Esposito concluded.

Read the report:
Gilligan, B. (2006) The National Reserve System Programme 2006 Evaluation, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra. This report is available at www.deh.gov.au/indigenous/publications/ipa-evaluation.html