By Alex Gore, Senior Communications Officer, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Although output and production remain a key focus area for mining companies’ reporting, information on an organisation’s environmental, social and governance credentials are increasingly sought-after.
Australia is home to a broad, diverse range of terrain, with everything from snow-capped mountains to large deserts, and tropical forests to bushlands. These landscapes are home to an abundance of unique flora and fauna, and the protection and preservation of it is especially significant.
With the rapid growth of Australia’s industries pushing infrastructure out of urban locations and further into the remote areas of the country, these landscapes and their flora and fauna are increasingly being impacted.
Most of the work in the mining industry is conducted in rural locations, and often on previously untouched areas. Mining organisations that take action to reduce the impacts of their operations and look after the areas they mine on showcase a commitment to safeguarding the environment for future generations.
Pilbara in focus
The iron ore-rich Pilbara is one of the undisputed powerhouses of the Australian economy. Beyond the mines, the Pilbara has high species richness and many endemic plants and animals. Within its landscape are also vast spinifex-covered plains, rugged hills and spectacular gorges that host elusive wildlife, like northern quolls, and one of the richest reptile collections in the world.
Protecting the Pilbara’s unique biodiversity has been a priority for some time and these efforts were bolstered in June 2024 through a new strategic partnership between the Western Australian Government and Rio Tinto.
The Rio Tinto-funded Pilbara Conservation Project is a four-year, $8 million effort to further integrate Traditional Owner knowledge into the work of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) at high-conservation value areas and tourism hotspots like Karijini National Park, which receives over 300,000 visitors annually, as well as Millstream Chichester National Park, and other sites across the region.
The funding will also help support DBCA’s delivery of bushfire management, weed management and feral animal control at Karijini National Park.
The Pilbara Conservation Project launch, featuring Traditional Owners, Western Australian Environment Minister, Reece Whitby, DBCA Director General, Stuart Smith, and Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Manager (Ports, Rail and Core Services) Richard Cohen. Image: DBCA
A win-win situation
Western Australia’s Minister for Energy; Environment; Climate Action, Reece Whitby, described the partnership as a win for the environment.
“It’s also a win for the community, it’s a win for conservation, it’s a win for economic development and sustainability, with Traditional Owners being supported and ranger programs being engaged.
“Conservation is a shared responsibility, and this new partnership demonstrates how government, industry and Traditional Owners can work together to manage biodiversity values through practical, on-ground actions.”
Conservation outcomes
The mining industry is not entirely alone in its efforts, and in many sectors, industry is responding to the Western Australian Government’s commitment to a long-term integrated vision and strategy for a sustainable future.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director of Port, Rail and Core Services, Richard Cohen, said the environment, the community and industry alike would benefit from voluntary nature-positive reforms such as the Pilbara Conservation Project.
“Maintaining Pilbara biodiversity is critical not only for our business today but also for future generations within the region and we recognise our responsibility to understand and effectively mitigate our impacts on nature through collaborative partnerships.
“Partnerships like the Pilbara Conservation Project are crucial to delivering nature-positive outcomes, with collaboration, resource sharing, innovation, local engagement and collective effort needed to address the complex challenges with environmental conservation and restoration.
“Most importantly, this project will enable DBCA and Traditional Owners to continue to care for Country, placing Traditional Owner knowledge at the heart of conservation management.”
The partnership also includes significant resources for research and monitoring projects to improve evidence-based land management, something that was highlighted at the project’s launch in Karratha by DBCA Director General, Stuart Smith.
“The Pilbara region has enormous biodiversity and conservation value. The great thing about this partnership is it brings together some of the key players to really protect that biodiversity and conservation,” Mr Smith said.
“You’ve got DBCA working with Traditional Owners and Rio Tinto, all bringing their expertise to protect the environment. And that partnership is going to deliver great things for improving the biodiversity and conservation in the Pilbara.”
Yindjibarndi and Midwest rangers in Millstream Chichester National Park. Image: DBCA
Project priorities
Full-time ranger positions within DBCA, as well as training and fee-for-service work for Aboriginal ranger groups, are central to the project’s design. Management planning for all fire, weed and feral herbivore management will be carried out alongside Traditional Owners including Nyamal, Yindjibarndi, Ngarluma, Yinhawangka, Nyiyaparli, Banjima and Eastern Guruma.
Fire management
Scientific studies supported by the project will focus on fire-sensitive Pilbara landscapes, including the development of a long-term fauna monitoring program to inform adaptive conservation management actions. Aboriginal ranger groups will contribute cultural fire knowledge and help co-design the fire program and monitoring in national parks.
An important component of the project will be the development of fine-scale vegetation maps produced through remote sensing and field surveys. These maps will inform the continued creation of a prescribed fire mosaic within the landscape that will better protect biodiversity, cultural and infrastructure values and provide an invaluable tool to limit the size and impact of bushfires.
Weeds
The project’s focus on the effective management of priority weeds will aim to improve vegetation and habitat quality within the region’s national parks. Collaboration with a broad range of stakeholder groups will also be improved as part of the project and accessible information on weed control methods will be developed to ensure land managers can prioritise weed control to the most important species.
Weed mapping with Yindjibarndi rangers along sections of the Fortescue River within Millstream Chichester National Park has commenced. The initial focus is on mapping and controlling the invasive plant Parkinsonia and date palms.
At Karijini National Park control of the Agave cactus and date palms has commenced with strategic weed mapping being undertaken in important tourist destinations at Kalamina and Dales Gorge.
Large feral herbivores
Feral camels and donkeys are widespread through the Pilbara and can have significant negative impacts on the environment, including fouling water courses, degrading native vegetation and competing with native wildlife for food, water and shelter.
The funding from Rio Tinto will increase collaboration and engagement on landscape scale programs for large feral herbivores and allow management to extend outside of national park boundaries in partnership with other key stakeholders in the Pilbara, including Recognised Biosecurity Groups, pastoralists and Aboriginal ranger groups.
Safeguarding the future
A key priority that is shared and echoed by the parties involved in the partnership is the importance of safeguarding areas like the Pilbara for years to come.
Yindjibarndi Senior Ranger, Simon Lockyer, acknowledged that there is a need to care for Country and safeguard culture and heritage.
“Culturally we need to protect it, sustain it and look after it for future generations. We need to follow our ancestors and their footprints; what they’ve left behind. We do cultural mapping, looking after heritage, prescribed burning, quoll trapping.
“Just being on Country, it gives you a different world and a feeling. It lifts your spirit. It really soothes your soul.”
At the conservation project’s launch in Karratha, Mr Cohen spoke about the company’s values and its commitment to the region.
“The Pilbara is such an important part of Australia – both in its Traditional Owner heritage and its amazing landscape, flora and fauna. It’s also very important for our business.
“We recognise we have got a really important part to play in ensuring that we maintain and minimise our impact on this lovely and beautiful environment.”
With more mines expected to be built and developed to stay abreast of global demand for Australia’s minerals and commodities, more land is expected to be impacted by the industry across Australia. Conservation partnerships like the Pilbara Conservation Project are a way for the industry to demonstrate its commitment to minimising environmental impacts and take steps to preserve the country’s unique landscapes for future generations.
Featured image: Millstream Chichester National Park. Image: DBCA
