Warddeken Land Management Ltd & Karrkad Kanjdji Trust share in Australian Geographic funding
Indigenous rangers in Arnhem Land have secured funding to help protect species found nowhere else on earth, combining ancient knowledge with modern conservation methods. Find out more about it.
The Australian Geographic Society has awarded a Northern Territory Aboriginal-owned ranger group $30,000 to support its operations as part of its ‘Awards For Nature’.
Warddeken Land Management Ltd & Karrkad Kanjdji Trust rangers in Arnhem Land are combating feral herbivores, cats and late-season wildfires to protect cultural species such as the djabbo (northern quoll) and the white-throated grass wren, found nowhere else on earth.
The $30,000 AGS award will support boots-on-the-ground conservation actions including prescribed burns, artificial shelters and innovative cat management.
Combining Indigenous knowledge with western science, the Warddeken Mayh Program is said to ensure endangered species are safeguarded and traditional ecological knowledge passed to the next generation.
It comes as part of an overall $150,000 invested in five conservation projects.
“The awards are both an acknowledgment of past success and a vote of confidence in the future,” said Chrissie Goldrick, Chair of the Australian Geographic Society.
“Thanks to our loyal subscribers and customers who support our all-profits-to-nature model, we can back these inspiring projects and share their stories widely.”
Launched in 2024, the Awards for Nature program has already doubled the Society’s conservation funding impact.
This year 71 Expressions of Interest were received, with 21 shortlisted.
The final five were chosen for their bold strategies to combat invasive species, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, climate change and marine ecosystem degradation.
The 2025 winners were officially announced on October 23 at a public ceremony hosted by the Australian Museum, Sydney.
Other winners include Invasive Species Council’s project ‘Bug Hunt’, which won the $50,000 Gold Tier Award.
Nangana Landcare Network’s project c411 Country – Saving Faunal Emblems won the $30,000 Silver Tier.
And for the $20,000 Bronze Tier Awards, People For Wildlife’s project ‘Palm Cockatoo Breeding Habitat Restoration’ and the University of Adelaide & Eyrelab’s project ‘Reviving Coffin Bay’s Lost Oyster Reefs’ won those.
Mr Goldrick said together, these five projects highlight the spirit of the Awards for Nature: practical, collaborative and community-driven.
“From suburban bug hunts to Arnhem Land stewardship, from saving helmeted honeyeaters and palm cockatoos to restoring oyster reefs, every award supports a brighter ecological future,” he said.
“It proves that every magazine subscription and purchase helps safeguard the extraordinary natural heritage we all hold dear.”
Originally published as Warddeken Land Management Ltd & Karrkad Kanjdji Trust share in Australian Geographic funding
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