Bardi Jawi Indigenous Knowledge Guides Reef‑Mangrove Conservation in Kimberley

For the past decade, Bardi Jawi rangers and traditional owners have partnered with the Australian Institute of Marine Science to study and protect their mangrove and reef ecosystems in the Kimberley region. Their work, documented in a recent Ocean & Coastal Management article, lists the Bardi Jawi as co‑authors and highlights the long‑standing recognition of the interdependence between reefs and mangroves for sustaining fisheries. The study’s findings informed the design of the 95,000‑hectare Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protected Area, declared in 2013, and the 204,000‑hectare Bardi Jawi Gaarra Marine Park, established in 2022 with a zoning scheme that took effect in July 2026. The research underscores how traditional ecological knowledge can shape modern conservation strategies.