Pilbara to benefit from ranger success

Ranger groups based on the success of programs in the Western Desert could soon be on their way to other communities across the Pilbara.

The Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa ranger program, which operates out of the Jigalong, Parnngurr and Punmu communities, employs more than 100 indigenous people to work on their country, mapping waterholes, testing water quality, controlling introduced weeds and feral animals, and helping with prescribed burns.

Other similar ranger groups exist in the Kimberley and Goldfields, funded by the Federal Government’s Working on Country program through Rangelands NRM.

Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa culture, heritage and media co-ordinator Zan King said the ranger groups were one of the most successful programs run out of the Western Desert, and there was a definite call from other areas to run something similar.

“Being on country is fundamental to indigenous people, it’s in their culture and their heritage,” she said.

“They know their country, they know how to burn and use fires to rejuvenate country, they know how to clean up water holes.

“From that, using their own tradition knowledge, they’re learning new skills – Western ways of fire burning techniques, aerial helicopters, water monitoring and testing.

“They’re increasing their skills and they’re becoming stronger in both worlds, both indigenous and Western.”

Rangelands NRM Pilbara co-ordinator Tim Wiley said his organisation was looking at ways to emulate the successful ranger groups in other Pilbara communities, including Warralong and around Marble Bar.

“Ranger groups at Jigalong and Wiluna have been getting good environmental work done, and have been effective at getting young kids on the land with their elders and out of trouble they might get into in town,” he said.

“Within the De Grey area there’s a few communities who we would like to get involved in ranger groups, through the elders in the communities and the kids at schools.

“Once the groups are set up we’d be looking to fund landcare projects, whether it’s weeding a river or vegetating a gorge, then pay the ranger groups to come out to do the work.”

Strelley Community School principal Kate McKenzie, who is based at Warralong, said it would be excellent to see the programs expanded to other communities.

“Our kids learn by doing, not by listening,” she said.

“If you can find something where they have knowledge to share, and then develop that, you have a much better response.

“It gives them pride, because it’s their knowledge and their environmental, and it can become a small income generator once they’ve got their skills up and get organised. All we need is people with the skill, drive and motivation to pull it off.”