Walalakoo Environmental and Cultural Services
Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation established the Walalakoo Environmental and Cultural Services (WECS) to improve cultural and natural land management within the confines of the Nyikina Mangala Native Title Determination (please refer to map 1). WECS is directed by a board of six Nyikina and Mangala Traditional Owners and reports to the Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation (AC). With an increased land management capacity Walalakoo AC will pursue business opportunities in the environmental services industry (e.g. fencing, revegetation, seed collection, fire management) to achieve improved employment opportunities for Nyikina and Mangala Traditional Owners.
Cultural and Natural Land Management Services
Depending on the task, WECS can rely on a pool of skilled local Traditional Owners in addition to the Nyikina Mangala Rangers. By marrying traditional knowledge with best-practice western science WECS provides the following environmental services:
Fencing and cattle management (fencing and pastoral monitoring)
Biodiversity management / Threatened species management (targeted species surveys, inventory surveys, camera trapping)
Environmental monitoring
Cultural site management
Prescribed fire management (aerial and ground prescribed burning and asset protection)
Invasive plant and animal management (weed surveys, weed control, feral animal surveys, feral animal control)
Erosion control and revegetation (seed collection, seed propagation, erosion control)
Crocodile management
The map below details the area across which we work.
Vision WECS
WECS has the capacity and resources for strategic and systematic cultural and natural land management utilising western and traditional knowledge. Cultural and natural values on Nyikina Mangala country are managed for long-term outcomes by linking resource management with business development opportunities. Nyikina Mangala communities are supported to benefit from cultural, natural and social business opportunities. WECS and the Nyikina Mangala Rangers provide high quality business services and support Nyikina and Mangala families in developing small business opportunities for cultural, environmental and social priorities.
Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation Healthy Country Plan
Nyikina and Mangala Traditional Owners embarked on a journey to develop the Walalakoo Healthy Country Plan. Based on the global best-practice planning framework "Open Standards for the practice of conservation", which has been applied across the world by government and non-government agencies for the management of natural and cultural values, Nyikina Mangala People are on the forefront of adaptive and strategic resource management. You can find a copy of the Walalakoo Healthy Country Plan here.
Yimardoo Warra Rangers
Nyikina Mangala
The Indigenous Ranger Team of six with a dedicated ranger coordinator is based in the community of Jarlmadangah. Funded through the Commonwealth Working-on-Country Program, the Nyikina Mangala Rangers are trained and skilled to manage their traditional lands. The rangers use traditional knowledge combined with western science to carry out their conservation and land management activities.