Although the State of the Environment report said Australia’s environment was in poor condition and deteriorating, there are bright spots that indicate how the country could turn its fortunes around.
Key points:
- Indigenous rangers are a success story that delivers environmental and social benefits
- Privately managed conservation groups have also helped protect native species from introduced predators
- Conservation groups say stronger legislation and environmental protections are needed
One of the shining lights are indigenous rangers, who look after more than 44% of nationally protected natural areas.
About 2,000 of these rangers are funded by the federal government, while more are funded through states and other organizations.
One group, the Gamay Rangers, look after Country in Sydney’s Botanic Bay and Port Hacking.
The area has many conservation challenges, particularly adjacent to the city, Sydney Airport and the Port Botany seaport, where the “near threatened” Posidonia australis is found.
Robert Cooley of the Gamay Rangers said the group teamed up with local scientists to help save species like seagrasses.
The Gamay Rangers are one of the indigenous ranger groups identified in the State of the Environment report. (ABC Radio Sydney: Matt Bamford)
“[The seagrass has] declined over the years to 10% of what they were before,” Cooley told ABC Radio Sydney.
“This is critical habitat for things like blue swimmer crabs and flathead and shore and whiting which are all culturally significant fish to our community.”
Rangers dive into the bay to replant sea grasses that are occasionally uprooted from the seabed by storms, dragging ship anchors or heavy ferry washes.
“We can take them back to the labs and revitalize them,” Cooley said.
“And once they’re ready, we can basically go back to the bay with the scientists and do some underwater gardening.”
Indigenous ranger groups such as Sydney’s Gamay Rangers provide both environmental and social benefits. (ABC Radio Sydney: Matt Bamford)
The report emphasized the importance of indigenous ranger programs, as an estimated 60% of threatened species existed on the lands of indigenous peoples. Its programs were also hailed as having social and economic benefits for the community.
Stable long-term funding remains a major challenge for ranger groups.
In March 2020, some ranger programs, including the Gamay Rangers, received seven years of funding from the federal government.
However, the report cites Indigenous communities and organizations lamenting short-term funding models that have called for permanent and adequately funded programs.
Bush Heritage works across millions of hectares of land managing biodiversity. (Supplied: Bush Heritage)
Private conservation groups are also having an impact
Bush Heritage is a conservation group, mentioned in the report, which partners with indigenous peoples and rangers.
The organization works on 11 million hectares of land, 1.2 million hectares of which it owns.
The mainly philanthropically funded group has been successful in protecting species such as the redfin blueeye in central Queensland.
Pygmy opossums, honey possums and malleefowl have also returned as part of a revegetation project in southwestern Western Australia.
“We’ve tipped the scales in favor of our native species,” said Bush Heritage CEO Heather Campbell.
Another group mentioned in the report is the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, which manages 12.9 million hectares of privately owned land.
Healthy populations managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy can be used in future restocking efforts. (Provided by: Australian Wildlife Conservancy)
Their projects are also primarily funded by philanthropy and collaborative projects, including the creation of large predator-free enclosures to help recover threatened species.
Senior ecologist Jennifer Pierson said the secured areas were able to bring native species to healthy population levels that could also be used for future reintroductions.
“What we’ve done is we’ve identified areas where a species used to be in the landscape, but predators like feral cats and red foxes are preventing them from being there anymore,” Dr Pierson said.
“For the species for which we prevent extinction, it basically allows us time to figure out how to reduce threats outside those fences as well.”
Dr Pierson said some of the 22 species reintroduced by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy included the bilby, of which the conservancy cares about 10 per cent of its population.
“You can’t compensate by planting more trees”
While privately-led initiatives have their successes, Ms Campbell said legislative change was needed to ensure biodiversity progress.
Biodiversity conservation projects need stronger protections in legislation, says Bush Heritage CEO. (Supplied: Bush Heritage)
He said mining and exploration over conservation was one of the biggest threats to the efforts of his organisation, Bush Heritage.
“We need a good strong EPA [Environmental Protection Agency]” Mrs. Campbell said.
“We need to stop the land clearing and especially stop it in the areas where we still have these incredible unspoiled places.
“You can’t compensate by simply planting more trees.”