Girringun Indigenous Protected Area Coordinator and Djiru Traditional Owner Whitney Rassip explains the significance of Indigenous Protected Areas and the impact on Country and the cultural landscape.
Video transcript
Whitney Rassip (Djiru Traditional Owner)
โWe are looking after the land and the sea and the waters for everybody. Not just for Traditional Owners you know, we’re managing Country for the world.
My name is Whitney Rassip. I’m a Djiru Traditional Owner and I’m the Girringun region Indigenous Protected Areas coordinator.
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) is an area of land and sea that Traditional Owners voluntarily enter into an agreement with the Australian Government to manage not only for its biodiversity values, but for its cultural values as well.
The IPA (Indigenous Protected Area) supports Traditional Owners to manage Country. It also supports the continuation of our Girringun Ranger Program. Also, you know, accessing Country, managing Country to the Traditional Owners wishes and working in partnership together with other organisations.
There was a lot of focus on the cassowaries as well as the northern bettong, the mahogany glider, dolphin, dugong and sea turtles as well. Those species were the main target species that Traditional Owners look after whether it’s through monitoring projects, whether it’s through restoration projects.
Rainforest Country within the declared national parks here and within the Girringun Indigenous Protected Areas is a cultural landscape. The IPA allows us to gain resources to manage our Country not just for the natural values, but for the cultural values too.โ