On 28 October, Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, and Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, announced the funding of seven new Indigenous Protected Areas.

Covering up to 16.5 million hectares of country, once completed these new Indigenous Protected Areas would increase the IPA network by nearly 30% and mean that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be caring for more than half of Australia’s protected lands.

We want to show the Environment Minister and Minister for Indigenous Australians that we appreciate it when the government grows and secures funding for Indigenous Protected Areas.

This announcement is recognition of the important hard work Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples do day-in-day-out caring for country.

Learn more about the announcement of the new proposed Indigenous Protected Areas here.

P.S. - The amazing photos at the top of the page are from Arafura Swamp, one of the seven new IPAs. 

Led by traditional owners, in partnership with the federal government, an Indigenous Protected Area is a plan for caring for the natural and cultural values of that specific country.

An IPA plan often includes tackling threats to country like feral animals, noxious invasive weeds and destructive wildfires.

Since the first IPA was declared 21 years ago, IPAs have grown dramatically. Once all new IPAs are completed, the IPA network will cover nearly 100 million hectares, slightly larger than the area of South Australia.