Traditional Owners will lead 16 new protected areas — up to 18 million hectares of Country

Australia is backing Traditional Owners to lead conservation on their own land and sea Country. An A$11.31 million (about $7 million) investment through the Australian Bushland Program will support 16 new Indigenous Protected Areas across New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Once dedicated, the areas could add up to 18.2 million hectares to the national reserve system — habitat for threatened species such as the greater bilby, princess parrot and red goshawk. 'IPAs demonstrate the incredible conservation outcomes that can be achieved when Traditional Owners lead the management of their Country,' said Environment Minister Murray Watt. Indigenous Protected Areas already make up more than half of Australia's reserve system, and the new projects begin, as they should, with consultation led by First Nations organisations.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: funding & finance