Bega Biodiversity Project
Pilot partner: Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council is a representative body dedicated to supporting and empowering the local Indigenous community through cultural preservation, land management, and advocacy. The Council works with Elders, young people and communities to protect cultural connections to Country and promote wellbeing for future generations.
ICBA partner: Aboriginal Carbon Foundation (AbCF)
Project name: Bega LALC landscape restoration and fire project
Description: Bega LALC is working with AbCF to restore and maintain culturally significant landscapes across their region by supporting landscape restoration activities guided by cultural lore, strengthening ecosystems and protecting endangered species, and using cultural fire practices to rehabilitate Country and expand healthy habitat.
Where: New South Wales - Bega LALC’s catchment area is approximately 5900km2 stretching from Merimbula Bridge to Aragunnu and from the coast across the Snowy Mountains to the Murray River. The area is home to endangered species including the Golden Potoroo and Yellow Glider. Three specific sites have been selected for this project – at Mirador, Wallagoot and Tathra.
Focus: Restore and maintain culturally significant landscapes damaged by colonisation, removal of Traditional Owners from landscape management roles and repeated hot bushfires. At the same time protecting endangered species through habitat maintenance and expansion, and cultural fire practices guided by seasonal calendars and environmental indicators.
What’s happening: Activities at each of the sites will include preparing site descriptions and intervention rationales, capturing drone imagery and before-and-after photography, monitoring vegetation, habitat and native species, tracking feral animal threats, collecting camera trap data, conducting cultural interviews, delivering cultural burns, and undertaking post-burn monitoring and reporting.
Impact:
- Create opportunities for future funding, employment, capacity building, and regional scaling of land management approaches through collaboration
- Integrate Indigenous knowledge, cultural protocols, and leadership into biodiversity restoration and land management practices.
- Protect and enhance native wildlife populations, including threatened species, through targeted management activities
- Establish robust monitoring and data collection systems to improve ecosystem management and support high-integrity products
Timeframe: July 2025 – June 2026
Website:Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council