Four Indigenous rangers are in France to put the Australian desert on the map at the World Ranger Congress.

Anmatyerr man Boyd Elston, ranger programs manager at the Central Land Council, and chairperson of the Indigenous Desert Alliance is leading the delegation, which includes Cleveland Kantawara and Lynda Lechleitner from the Central Desert and Sumayah Surprise from Bayulu Community in the Great Sandy Desert.

Mr Elston’s community of Papunya, 240 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, is a world away from the French town of Hyères on the Mediterranean coast, where the 10th World Ranger Congress is being held.

“Rangers and land guardians throughout the world go by many names with an array of responsibilities, but all are united in caring for the health of our planet and all living things,” he said in a statement.

“Here in Australia, Indigenous rangers are already making significant contributions to restoring habitat and achieving healthy ecosystems.

We are following in the footsteps of our old people, who have been looking after Country for thousands of years.

More than half of Australia’s national reserve system, about 90 million hectares, is managed through Indigenous Protected Areas.

“Indigenous-led conservation is now being recognised globally as the best form of conservation because it is collaborative and Aboriginal people have always worked this way,” Mr Elston said.

“Indigenous rangers are highly skilled and expert land managers, we hold both traditional and local knowledge and when we combine this with the latest and greatest in western science and technology, we strengthen our land management practice that benefits everyone.”

The central Australian environment, like everywhere, is facing challenges due to climate change.

“The desert is getting hotter, drier and seasons are changing,” Mr Elston said.

“Indigenous people globally have often been ignored or devalued as the global economy has developed, and now we are facing the first wave of impacts from the changed climate.

“It is a global responsibility to assist these communities in adapting to the extremes of climate and weather, our communities cannot do this alone.”

When Notre Dame Cathedral burned in Paris in 2019, almost $1 billion in donations was raised.

“If only the world valued our desert home, the heart of Australia, in the same way and invested in our climate resilience with the same generosity,” he said.

“If only more Australians admired Indigenous rangers with the same enthusiasm as we did for our athletes at the Paris Olympics.”

There are more than 70 threatened species in Australian deserts, including the bilby, great desert skink, central rock rat and night parrot.

“If we want to protect these animals for future generations then the only way to do this is by investing in people,” Mr Elston said.

“The more we invest in Australia’s Indigenous ranger programs who are responsible for looking after these special creatures, the better chance these endangered animals have of survival.

“The night parrot was once thought extinct in Australia but news of a new night parrot population being re-discovered on Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area is a great example of what is possible when Indigenous rangers are leading the way.”

At the world conference the rangers are sharing their message: care for homelands, listen to Elders, connect with Country and keep cultural traditional knowledge strong.

“Australia’s Indigenous ranger programs are a national success story that all Australians can be proud of and grateful for,” Mr Elston said.

“From my community in the Warumpi Honey Ant Hills of the Central Desert to the spinifex sandplains way out west on Ngurrara Country in the Great Sandy Desert, our delegation will take this ranger story for the world to hear.

“But we need every Aussie cheering back home, together we can achieve great things for the Australian desert and beyond.”

– NITV