Young Custodians Gaining New Skills on Country

This month, the KFDF Western Desert Youth Ranger Program celebrated its third immersive camp on country, giving five young Martu Custodians an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills under the wing of three MY Rangers.

In the remote land of Ululla in Western Australia’s Gibson Desert, Traditional Custodians are healing their country. Once an active cattle station used by Martu people as an outstation, today this is a special place for Martu Custodians to bring younger generations, sharing culture and skills to protect and regenerate their biodiverse lands.

“This is a chance for kids to get out bush to experience and learn from their leaders and Elders,” said Tom Griffiths the Healthy Country Coordinator for KFDF, who coordinates the program in collaboration with the Wiluna Remote Community School and the MY Rangers.

With searing daytime temperatures and rugged terrain, this rich and biodiverse ecosystem is an unlikely haven, home to vibrant communities of native animals.

Over three days, the group performed the important task of Martu Plot Surveys - walking the land to sight animals and trace tracks of emus, hopping mice, birds, goannas, snakes and bush turkeys. This age-old practice of tracking draws on Traditional Custodians’ sophisticated land management practices together with culture and lore. Today, Indigenous Rangers combine this rich traditional knowledge with contemporary technologies like GPS within a two-way learning approach. 

“Together the Rangers were looking for native animals, as well as threats to these species like cats. The information they collect will then inform the Biodiversity Management Plans which the Rangers will develop,” said Tom.

“We’re hoping the young rangers will be part of this planning process, caring for their country.”

Each field trip represents an important milestone in this biocultural program, giving young people an immersive opportunity to connect with their lands and culture, while developing real-life experience and skills in landcare.

The Western Desert Youth Ranger Program is one of several biocultural programs developed by the KFDF in collaboration with sandalwood communities, providing knowledge, skills and resources to empower Aboriginal Custodians to best care for their lands and people.