Indigenous rangers have an important role in caring for Country throughout Australia, bringing cultural knowledge of the land and sea which has been passed down for generations.
That knowledge and expertise, along with uses of modern technologies, is being shared as rangers and land and sea country management groups converge in Darwin for the Dangkal Gwo'yal-wa (Strong Country) Land and Water management forum.
National Indigenous Australians Agency chief executive Jody Broun said it was the first time land and sea rangers and Indigenous Protected area providers from across the country had gathered for a large event in a decade.
"A lot has changed in that time," she told AAP.
"The use of drones for instance, which groups use for monitoring and surveillance but also for identifying weed populations and even doing the weeding and seeding work."
Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation chief executive Joe Morrison said the forum was a vital space to share knowledge, stories and strategies for protecting Country.
“The Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa (Strong Country) Land and Water Management Forum is a crucial moment for land and sea managers from across the country to unite," he said.
The forum's theme is Healthy Country, Healthy Water, Healthy Communities.
Ms Broun said rangers and Indigenous Protected Area providers have a critical role to play in keeping country healthy.
"In terms of biodiversity, in protecting flora and fauna, educating visitors to national parks, protecting sites of cultural significance and working on the survival of precious wildlife, all of those things are so critical."
The federal government announced 12 new Indigenous Protected Areas in July, representing 7.5 million hectares of land and 450,000 hectares of sea country.
“Our investment in expanding the Indigenous Ranger Program and Indigenous Protected Areas is not just supporting conservation; we’re creating sustainable opportunities and driving economic growth within communities," Indigenous Australians minister Malarndirri McCarthy said.
“This Forum is an important step towards realising these goals and reinforcing our partnership with Indigenous communities.”
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek said the forum was a "fantastic initiative".
"We all have so much to learn from Indigenous land and water managers about how we can better protect the diverse lands and waters of this country – and land managers have so much to share and learn from each other," she said.
The Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa Forum is a partnership between the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation.
The forum will run until Friday.
