Creating livelihoods through Indigenous Protected Areas: the Nantawarrina experience

Abstract:

Conservation management of protected areas provides Indigenous people with an opportunity to protect and enhance biodiversity, culture, and build community capacity to sustain livelihoods. Recognition of the important role of Indigenous people in protected area management has seen the Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) Program become the fastest growing sector of Australia’s Natural Reserve System. Entering into an IPA agreement is one of few avenues through which many Indigenous communities can pursue a viable social and economic enterprise with the assets and resources available to them. Using community-based participatory methodology, this research examines the success of the IPA program in creating livelihoods, using the Nantawarrina IPA’s impact on Nepabunna community as a case study. The research supports current literature that states protected area management can create livelihood benefits for communities. In Nepabunna this is notably through increased employment, health from working on country, and increased pride and well being within the community. However, the research also found that to ensure the future sustainability of Nantawarrina IPA, and the subsequent benefits for the Nepabunna community, significant governance issues related to accountability, transparency, and selfdetermination need to be addressed.