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Rangelands Habitat Method

The Australian Government legislated the Nature Repair Act in 2023, recognising the need to value the protection and repair of nature across Australia. The emerging biodiversity market has the potential to support Indigenous desert ranger teams to continue to look after desert country.

Contracted by DCCEEW in 2025, the IDA is building on the extensive culturally informed science and partnership work established through the Desert Habitat Method to scope a method for the Australian Government Nature Repair Market scheme.

IDA anticipates this will account for the land management work that desert ranger teams undertake annually, applying right-way fire across desert landscapes and minimising the spread of invasive plant and animal species. This work fulfils the cultural obligations of traditional owners across the desert to look after country and protects and maintains resilient habitat for the biodiversity of central Australian deserts.

Status

IDA is currently contracted by DCCEEW for method scoping phase within the Australian Government Nature Repair Market Scheme.

Timeline

  1. 2014
    Indigenous Desert Network (IDN) begins
  2. 2016
    IDN becomes Indigenous Desert Alliance (IDA).
  3. 2018
    10 Deserts Project (10DP) begins.
  4. 2019
    10DP commissions report on possible carbon opportunities in the desert.
  5. 2020
    Desert Habitat Method (DHM) development starts.
  6. 2021
    10 Deserts Project joins the IDA.
  7. 2022
    Desert Habitat Method (DHM) approved by Accounting for Nature (voluntary nature market).
  8. 2022
    IDA starts providing input into Nature Repair Market Scheme development.
  9. 2023
    Nature Repair Act (2023) passed by Australian Government.
  10. 2024
    IDA attends Nature Repair Market Scheme Environmental Knowledge Systems First Nations Workshop.
  11. 2024
    IDA co-founds Indigenous Carbon and Biodiversity Alliance (ICBA).
  12. 2024
    Innovative Biodiversity Monitoring Grant from Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water (DCCEEW) for DHM Pilots awarded to IDA.
  13. 2024
    DHM Pilots Project commences.
  14. 2024
    IDA holds 2 DHM pilot workshops with Kiwirrkurra Rangers.
  15. 2024
    IDA holds 2 DHM pilot workshops with Nyangumarta Rangers.
  16. 2025
    Australian Government Nature Repair Market Scheme established.
  17. 2025
    Contract between IDA & DCCEEW initiates scoping phase for proposed Rangelands Habitat Method based on existing Desert Habitat Method.
  18. 2025
    IDA holds 2 DHM pilot workshops with Spinifex Rangers.
  19. 2025
    IDA holds 2 DHM pilot workshops with Warlpiri Rangers.
  20. 2026
    DHM Pilot final workshop concludes Indigenous Knowledge consultation process trials to inform method development.
  21. 2026
    ongoing RHM method scoping through IDA-DCCEEW partnership.

Method development team

IDA is currently building on the science and Indigenous knowledge expertise underpinning the Desert Habitat Method to create a method that meets Australian Government requirements for the Nature Repair Market Scheme. This method development work is led by Jarrad Holmes with support from IDA nature markets team.

IDA nature markets team includes Jarrad Holmes, Dan Johanson, Taegan Calnan, Hannah Cliff, Lara Paijmans and Anne Wayne. 

Learn more about the IDA team here.

For further information please email naturemarkets@indigenousdesertalliance.com.

Technical document provision

Coming soon.

Desert Nature Markets

Since 2019, IDA has been working towards the development of culturally informed methods focused on re-establishing right way fire across the desert.

Warning: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away which may cause sadness or distress.