Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area |
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IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
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Eucalyptus woodland in Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area
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| Nearest city | Norseman, Western Australia |
| Area | 43,993.01 km2 (16,985.80 sq mi) |
| Designation | Indigenous Protected Area |
| Designated | 2020 |
| Operator | Ngadju Traditional Custodians |
The Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area is a special place in Western Australia. It's a huge area of land, about 44,000 square kilometers, in the Goldfields-Esperance region. This protected area was created in 2020. The Ngadju people are the traditional owners and caretakers of this land. They have looked after it for a very long time.
Where is Ngadju Protected Area?
This protected area covers a very large space. It is made up of several separate pieces of land. To the south, it is next to Cape Arid National Park. It also borders Nuytsland Nature Reserve in the south and southeast. The Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area also surrounds Dundas Nature Reserve on many sides. In the east, it touches Frank Hann and Peak Charles national parks.
Amazing Plants and Animals
This protected area is very important for nature. It's where the forests and woodlands of Southwest Australia meet the dry deserts. It includes a huge part of the Great Western Woodlands. This woodland is the largest healthy Mediterranean-climate woodland left on Earth.
The area is home to many different living things. There are 21 types of animals with backbones. There are also 166 types of plants. Many of these species are rare or special. They are protected by state or national laws.
History and Protecting the Land
The Ngadju people have a long history with this land. In 2014 and 2017, a court officially recognized their traditional ownership. This was after a long legal process that started in 1995. They now have special rights over about 45,000 square kilometers of land. This land is both east and west of the town of Norseman. In 2020, the Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area was officially created on this land.
The Ngadju Rangers play a key role in caring for the area. They use a mix of old traditions and new science. They work to protect the many different plants and animals. They also manage fires and control harmful weeds and wild animals. Plus, they look after important cultural sites within the protected area.
