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Indigenous Protected Areas program evaluation
| Attachment | Size |
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 Indigenous Protected Areas program evaluation
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5.3 MB |
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Indigenous Protected Areas program evaluation: community report
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11.03 MB |
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are areas of land and sea Country managed by First Nations groups in accordance with Traditional Owners’ objectives. IPAs deliver biodiversity conservation outcomes for the benefit of all Australians, through voluntary agreements with the Australian Government. The IPA Program has been supporting First Nations communities to voluntarily dedicate and manage their land and sea as protected areas since 1997.
This evaluation sought to determine to what extent the IPA Program achieved biodiversity outcomes, and worked to strengthen Indigenous peoples’ connection to Country and culture and create social and economic benefits. It sought to identify the key contexts/factors that affect the achievement of IPA Program objectives with implications for future program design, and to what extent the program objectives are still relevant and appropriate.
The evaluation was undertaken in 2 phases. Phase One involved an analysis of existing data, via a literature review and desktop analysis, to identify knowledge gaps. Phase Two engaged directly with representatives of IPA provider organisations and Traditional Owners to collect data through culturally appropriate participatory processes using a Yarning approach.
The final evaluation report details findings against the key evaluation questions and makes 26 recommendations to strengthen program design and implementation, including:
- Review effectiveness of current monitoring programs across the IPA Program, including data collection and management processes, to determine barriers to adaptive management.
- Determine a process to enable Indigenous-led prioritisation of research, and allocate specific research funds to support delivery of IPA management priorities.
- Increase opportunities for Indigenous leadership at all levels of the IPA Program, including program and policy decision-making.
- Build greater transparency into the IPA funding and investment model, including metrics and prioritisation for resourcing of different IPA types.
- Align IPA reporting with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap targets.
The report is accompanied by a Community Report which presents a brief summary of the Final Evaluation Report.
