Social Return on Investment analysis of the Birriliburu and Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara Indigenous Protected Areas

The Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) programme has demonstrated successes across a broad range of outcome areas, effectively overcoming barriers to addressing Indigenous disadvantage and engaging Indigenous Australians in meaningful employment to achieve large scale conservation outcomes, thus aligning the interests of Indigenous Australians and the broader community.

The Birriliburu & Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara (MKK) IPAs have provided an opportunity for Martu people to reconnect with and actively manage their traditional country.

The two IPAs have proved a useful tool with which to leverage third party investment, through a joint management arrangement with the Western Australia (WA) Government, project specific funding from environmental NGOs and mutually beneficial partnerships with the private sector.

Increased and diversified investment from a range of funding sources would meet the high demand for Ranger jobs and could deliver a more expansive programme of works, which would, in turn, increase the social, economic and cultural outcomes for Martu Rangers and Community Members.