AW Landscape Board

Climate resilience – desert style

Looking after Country is a holistic pathway to a lighter footprint. Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board (AWLB) is the only all-Aboriginal statutory board of its kind in Australia. Their region is solely Aboriginal managed or co-managed lands, covering 250,000km2 (25%) of South Australia. They work with the Land Holding Authorities of Anangu Pitantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, Maralinga-Tjarutja, Yalata, Far West Coast and Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara.

These remote communities have thrived in harmony with the landscape for millennia, and are now facing substantial threats from increasing temperatures and unpredictable climate outcomes in an already arid region: threats that are not of their own making, but rather result from the intensive emissions of others. 

With little scope to reduce emissions within the region, AWLB and its communities instead focus on climate resilience and adaptation through caring for Country. Healthy Country has the best prospects for climate resilience, compared to degraded landscapes already struggling under the load of feral animals and weeds. 

Their work includes:

• Buffel grass is a transformer weed that is also extremely flammable. It swamps native vegetation, impacts Anangu culture and poses a fire risk to towns and infrastructure. They work with Anangu ranger teams to manage buffel grass in the region, as well as advocating for a national approach to the weed. Reducing its spread helps natural vegetation to be the carbon sequester that it is meant to be.
• Threatened species conservation through habitat management and feral predator control is where they help the naturally good plants and animals to thrive and to be an ecosystem in balance. Controlling feral cats and foxes, and large feral herbivores such as camels, is critical to maintaining balanced and healthy ecosystems.
• AWLB works with communities to return culturally significant species such as the Warru (black-footed rock wallaby) using predator-proof exclosures and a program of translocations to allow populations to rebound.
• AWLB’s climate-smart agriculture project works with Anangu land managers to embed sustainable practices into the beef cattle business in the APY Lands. Beef grazed on pasture in this arid country produces less emissions than intensive grain-fed beef production.

Anangu believe that if you look after Country, Country will look after you. This is the philosophy for having a lighter footprint, where lowering emissions is just one step on the pathway. Climate adaptation is dependent on land management that maintains healthy ecosystems and healthy Country. 

AWLB works for a healthy and valued region, managed responsibly now, for the future benefit of people and Country. 

Please note that the information provided has been submitted by the organisation and has not been independently verified.