Social Ventures Australia reflects on Martu’s experiences and feelings about KJ’s impact on Martu communities over the past 10 years.

Two of KJ’s ranger teams are now managing populations of mulyamiji (Great Desert Skink, Liopholis kintorei) — a species culturally significant for Martu, endemic to the western half of Australia and nationally listed as a vulnerable species.

KJ’s men and women rangers continue to build on 10-year-strong fire-management partnership developed with Wildlife Service WA (PWS) Swan Coastal District fire crew.

To combat the threats to mankarr (bilby) populations, BHP is supporting the “Martu mankarr search” method which is based on Martu knowledge of desert ecology, classification of habitat types, fire patterns, food resources, threats and management practices that affect desert animals.

Martu have partnered with the Western Australian Museum to share Martu stories in the new museum which is scheduled to open in late 2020. One of these stories is about Martu knowledge of yintakaja (permanent waterholes) in the desert.

Social Ventures Australia (SVA) has featured Martu in their third blog, in a series sharing stories from SVA clients, partners and friends in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, to highlight people and organisations like KJ who are uniquely affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Atlas Obscura — a global community of explorers and journalists who focus on unique places and stories — have featured Martu in their January edition, with contributing writer, Reina Gattuso, taking a look at KJ ranger’s work of reinstating cultural burns.