Land Management
‘Caring for Country’ means a spiritual attachment to the land, to creation beings, plants and animals, to the source of rules for living and stories, to dance, songs and art.
In the last 150 years, traditional Indigenous land management practices have been disrupted with the introduction of clearing of land for grazing, agriculture, mining and urban development, alongside the spread of exotic plants and animals.
Since 1985, we have increased our capacity to address these varied issues. We support our ranger group to manage and maintain country to enhance environmental and cultural values and to accommodate sustainable human use. We combine our traditional practices with the latest in natural resource management technology and approaches.
In addition to joint park management of Nitmiluk and Kakadu National Parks, we use our traditional practices of burning small fires across country to reduce the impact of wildfires and we work to minimise the environmental devastation caused by feral animals and weeds.
FERAL ANIMAL & WEED CONTROL
The ever-increasing number of feral animals is considered one of the main threats to biological diversity in northern Australia.
The presence of weeds also creates major problems for native plants and animals. Some choke waterways, others burn so hot they destroy flora designed to withstand a certain amount of fire.
Feral animals – including buffalo, cattle, horses, donkeys, pigs, cats, wilddogs and cane toads – cause the spread of exotic weeds and disease, displace native animals, compete for food and sometimes threaten the safety of people. They also damage important art sites, sacred sites and ceremony grounds.
For this reason, we actively manage feral animals with regular mustering and aerial shoots. Where feral animals are accessible and can be harvested, they also provide food for local communities and economic benefits through recreational hunting.
Jawoyn country has a large number of endangered and vulnerable animals and birds, such as the Gouldian Finch, the Crested Shrike Tit, the Hooded Parrot, the Emu and at least seven plant species of Boronias.
PARKS MANAGEMENT
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NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK
Jawoyn jointly manage Nitmiluk National Park with the Northern Territory Government. It was the first of its type in the nation and has been heralded as a model of joint-management for other areas. Nominated representatives are members of the Nitmiluk National Park management board.
KAKADU NATIONAL PARK
South Kakadu National Park is recognised as Jawoyn traditional lands, taking in the popular sites of Gunlom and Barramundi Gorge. Nominated representatives are members of the Kakadu National Park management board.
