Indigenous Australians have managed their country for tens of thousands of years. An Indigenous Protected Area is an area of Indigenous-owned land or sea where traditional owners have entered into an agreement with the Australian Government to promote biodiversity and cultural resource conservation. Indigenous Protected Areas make a significant contribution to Australian biodiversity conservation - making almost 25 per cent of Australia's National Reserve System.

Indigenous Protected Areas deliver more than environmental benefits. Managing Indigenous Protected Areas helps Indigenous communities to protect their significant cultural values for future generations and receive spin-off health, education, economic and social benefits.

This is a continuing commitment under the National Stream, to support Indigenous land owners to develop, declare and manage Indigenous Protected Areas on their lands as part of Australia's National Reserve System.

• More about Indigenous Protected Areas

National Reserve System

The National Reserve System is a critical component of the Government's efforts to protect terrestrial biodiversity.

Australia's reserve system now totals more than 10 000 protected areas covering nearly 16.5 per cent of the country. It is also one of the world's great conservation partnerships.

• National Reserve System

Indigenous Environmental Programmes

Indigenous ecological knowledge and skills in natural resource management are highly valued by the Australian Government.

The government invests in programmes engaging Indigenous Australians to protect and conserve our environment whilst providing Indigenous people with education, training, employment and business opportunities based around natural resource management.

Indigenous projects

Working on Country

The Australian Government established Working on Country, (now part of the Jobs, Land and the Economy Programme), recognising that protecting and conserving the environment is a shared responsibility and to provide sustainable employment for Indigenous people.

Indigenous people have long-held cultural and traditional responsibilities to protect and manage their land and sea country. They own an estimated 20 per cent of the Australian continent, upon which lies some of our most environmentally precious natural assets and, for Indigenous people, is rich in cultural and spiritual meaning.

• More about Working on Country
• More about the Jobs, Land and the Economy Programme