Yawuru IPA: linking cultural and biodiversity management with pastoral objectives

Case study of multi-tenured Indigenous Protected Area, including as a precedent, parts of a commercially viable cattle station. Yawuru are Native Title Holders – Broom and surrounds. Yawuru Agreement established Yawuru Conservation Estate (YCE) – joint management Yawuru hold exclusive possession native title over the viable Roebuck Plains Station, adjacent to the YCE. 

The Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) divested the 280,000 ha lease to Yawuru in 2014. The lease carries 20,000 head and is a key West Kimberley integrated cattle business. ILC will continue business for some years. Due to the cultural/ecologically significant springs and shallow freshwater wetlands on parts of Roebuck Plains Station, Yawuru are developing an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) over areas of lease including adjacent YCE. Planned IPA dedicated mid-2015. 

Presentation focus

Zoning system of the IPA on Roebuck station including the logic and application of the IUCN Cat 4 and Cat 6 to differentiate management approaches.
Appling Grazing Land Management principles and Rangeland Condition Monitoring to the IPA, with reporting and integration into decision making process.
Development of monitoring sites to establish baseline data for pastoral and biodiversity/cultural values for mapping and analysis over the Yawuru seasons.
Develop tools and spatial outputs to support decision making across the IPA, allowing for ongoing evaluation and adaptive land management balancing cultural, biodiversity, pastoral objectives.