Indigenous-Led Conservation Protects Millions of Hectares

Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) now conserve almost 15% of the continent, combining Traditional Owners’ knowledge with modern conservation practices to restore ecosystems across Australia.

“Caring for Country can deliver environmental, cultural and social benefits,” the article’s authors explain, highlighting the wider value of Indigenous-led conservation.

Since the first Indigenous Protected Area was established in 1998, the network has grown to 96 areas covering 113 million hectares. It now accounts for more than 55% of land in the National Reserve System. A further 4.7 million hectares of the Simpson Desert gained protection in July 2026. Indigenous rangers manage invasive species, use cultural burning to reduce wildfire risks, monitor threatened wildlife and increasingly work with technologies including drones, satellite imagery and environmental DNA. Ranger programmes also create local employment and give Elders opportunities to pass cultural knowledge and practical skills to younger generations, while helping the country work towards protecting 30% of its lands and waters by 2030.