The Fitzgerald Biosphere, the FBG and the FBCC
UNESCO Fitzgerald Biosphere
The term ‘Biosphere’ is UNESCO’s term for a particular part of planet Earth that includes natural and human altered lands and waters, the air above, the ground below and people.
Biosphere Reserves are a United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) ‘Man and the Biosphere’ (MAB) programme initiative.
More information on the technicalities can be found in the link below
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems that are managed with the aim of balancing biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. The planning and management of Biosphere Reserves relies on the participation of the local community and interested stakeholders.
Biosphere Reserves are intended to fulfil three functions:
Conservation: to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation
Development: to foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable
Logistic: to provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development.
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves includes 748 Biosphere Reserves in 134 countries (UNESCO 2023).
Each Biosphere Reserve consists of three zones: a core area, buffer zone and a transition area
Image source: https://www.unesco.org/en/mab/wnbr/about
1. The core area is a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.
3. The transition area is where community’s foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.
2. The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core area(s) and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education.
UNESCO listed Fitzgerald Biosphere
The UNESCO listed Fitzgerald Biosphere has international recognition for its outstanding biodiversity, which formed the basis for its initial and renominated listing. For this outstanding and characterising diversity, it is also recognised as a major part of the Fitz-Stirling Priority Place, one of the Australian Government’s 20 Priority Places initiative (DCCEEW 2023).
Improving the condition of these priority places will benefit not only threatened species, but also many other native plants and animals.
The measure of the biodiversity is predominantly that Fitzgerald Biosphere is known to contain around 2,500 species of plants, some 125 of these being endemic to the Barrens Quartzite and Ravensthorpe Ranges. It is also home to a large number of threatened animals including chuditch, dibbler, phascogale, heath mouse, western mouse, tammar wallaby, Carnaby’s cockatoo, mallee fowl, western bristlebird, western whipbird, peregrine falcon, and until 2012 western ground parrot (McQuoid 2017), such that Fitzgerald River National Park is considered to have the most intact fauna of any conservation reserve in southern WA (CALM 1991).
The Fitzgerald Biosphere sits within a region also known for agricultural production and mineral extraction industries. These are the main economic drivers of the region, along with nature and place-based tourism.
Agriculture dominates the Fitzgerald Biosphere Transition Zone landscape from Jerdacuttup in the east to Corackerup in the west, and north to near Lake King and Lake Magenta, south almost to the coast east and west of Fitzgerald River National Park. Farming is predominantly broadacre cropping of canola and cereals, with beef cattle and sheep meat and wool production alongside.
Fitzgerald Biosphere agricultural production is economically significant. In 2022, $462 million gross was made from grain coming from the Ravensthorpe Shire (Shire of Ravensthorpe 2023), and approximately $113 million of economic activity occurred in the Shire of Jerramungup, primarily from agricultural production (GSDC 2023).
Fitzgerald Biosphere has very significant First Nations cultural heritage and a continued profound attachment by Koreng, Menang, Merningar, Wirlomin and Wudjari Noongar People. They have a great many stories of the area including of lands now under sea that were terrestrial during the last glacial maximum some 12,000 years ago, places of degrees of significance, and a loss related to the severe impacts of colonial Australia.
The cultural significance of Fitzgerald Biosphere by Noongar People continues to grow and develop as programs and families find support to engage with traditional lands and waters, through a growing number of initiatives. The continued development and roll out of these is a priority for the FBCC and its Noongar representatives, and Fitzgerald Biosphere.
The Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar claim is at its eastern coverage across Fitzgerald Biosphere, the governance of this claim is in transition towards a greater involvement again of Noongar people as custodians of their country, this will take a number of forms including joint management of conservation reserves.
Fitzgerald Biosphere Community Collective (FBCC)
The FBCC is made up of organisations that either manage land within the Fitzgerald Biosphere or support those who do. These organisations are:
FBG
RAIN
Shire of Jerramungup
Shire of Ravensthorpe
Friends of Fitzgerald River National Park
Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions
Community members
Noongar representatives
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Great Southern Development Commission
Regional Development Australia Great Southern
