Conservation group paving the way by launching the South West’s first environmental reconciliation action plan

A South West conservation group is taking major steps towards reconciliation with the compilation of a key blueprint.. With NAIDOC Week in full swing, South West NRM revealed it had been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia to be the first environmental organisation in the South West to launch a reconciliation action plan. As the first not-for-profit environmental organisation in the South West to begin a RAP journey with NRM chief executive Dr Manda Page said she was pleased and proud to share the document with the community. “Based around the core pillars of relationships, respect and opportunities, our RAP journey aims to provide tangible and substantive benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, increasing economic equity and supporting traditional custodian self-determination,” she said. “By integrating the wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with innovative environmental solutions to the biggest challenges of our time such as climate change and biodiversity decline, we can co-design a future where both the health of our environment and our community thrive, reflecting our shared journey towards reconciliation.” The artwork throughout the document comes from Noongar artist Jodie Riley who said she was inspired by boodja (land) and moort (family and community) — a testament to the reciprocal relationship we share with the land. “When we care for boodja, boodja cares for us,” Riley said. “I incorporate Noongar symbols to depict the unity of our communities and the enduring connection between people and country. “A central element in the piece is the karak (red-tailed black-cockatoo), our firebird, which carries rich Dreamtime stories and embodies the land’s resilience, transformation and spirit. “The artwork aims to honour and reflect the values of connection, care and sustainability integral to the Noongar culture and the goals of the South West NRM.” Guidance in development of South West NRM’s RAP was provided by independent, certified majority First Nations-owned consultancy IPS Management Consultants, with graphic design by Aboriginal-led creative agency Nani Creative. The RAP document can be viewed on the South West NRM website and the Reconciliation Australia website.