Indigenous rangers get $1.8 million to help save the Great Barrier Reef

Huge congratulations to the Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network which has been awarded 1 million pounds (AU$1.8 million) in the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize, for their groundbreaking work protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

The First Nations, women-led network combines 60,000 years of Indigenous knowledge with technology such as drones to gather data on the Great Barrier Reef.

This information is used to educate people about coral bleaching and work with the government and other organisations to establish coral sanctuaries. 

Managing director of the Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network, Larissa Hale told the ABC that winning the Earthshot Prize “means we can grow the number of Indigenous women rangers, plus have 200 girls in an education program, inspiring the next generation of Indigenous rangers.”

The rangers ambition is to reach “a network of countries around the world to build a global collective helping to repair the planet through First Nations female-led conservation programs.”