WWF-Australia’s Kimberley wetlands project

Flooded woodland wetland of Flooded box (Lophostemon grandiflorus) trees and dense waterlilies ... / ©: Tanya Vernes / WWF-Aus
Flooded woodland wetland of Flooded box (Lophostemon grandiflorus) trees and dense waterlilies (Nymphaea violencea), near Derby, West Kimberley.
© Tanya Vernes / WWF-Aus
WWF-Australia is committed to sustaining the unique biodiversity of this extraordinary region through partnerships with the local community.

Aboriginal people comprise close to half the Kimberley population and Native Title rights and interests cover most of its land and seas. Traditional knowledge and skills are therefore an essential component of sustainable land management, and we actively encourage dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous natural resource managers to help plan for healthy Kimberley country.

WWF is also working with government agencies, research organisations and other non-government organisations to protect the values that make this rich and inspiring region unique.

WWF is:

facilitating community-based management planning at Roebuck Bay – a Ramsar site, threatened ecological community and one of Australia’s most important migratory shorebird sites

supporting a study to record traditional ecological knowledge of the Walmajarri people at Paruku wetlands in the Tanami Desert, to help transfer knowledge, build recognition for traditional management and protect the wetlands

developing conservation agreements and management actions that protect unique wetland sites, including investigating Ramsar listing

seeking ways to improve the sustainable use of freshwater in places like the Ord River catchment. We’re looking at the values and links between ecological health and human well-being, and promoting behavioural changes to improve water resources, maintain ecosystem health, avert salinity and enhance water quality

researching and recording wetlands across the Kimberley to identify their quality, location, values and threats through a joint Natural Heritage Trust-WWF-funded project

contributing to the Kimberley Subregional Natural Resource Management Plan to build greater recognition for water and wetland values, and to ensure that water conservation and protection strategies are included in the sub-regional and regional rangelands plan.