Our Projects

The Ranger Project supports the employment of Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers on outer islands to carry out cultural and natural resource management activities in line with community and Traditional Owner priorities.

An Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is an area of land or sea where Traditional Owners have entered into an agreement with the Australian Government to protect biodiversity and cultural values. Indigenous Protected Areas make up part of Australia’s National Reserve System.

The Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Project supports participating Torres Strait communities to utilise a TEK database for the collection, protection and controlled sharing of cultural and natural resource information whilst ensuring adherence to cultural protocols.

The Dugong and Turtle Management Project supports the sustainable take and culturally appropriate management of dugongs and marine turtles in Torres Strait in line with community based plans that integrate traditional use and contemporary science and management approaches.

The Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Project helps us to understand trends in the health of coral reef and seagrass ecosystems, and to detect negative impacts affecting these vital ecosystems.

The Biosecurity and Invasive Species Management Project supports Torres Strait communities to control and manage some of the introduced plants and animals that are negatively impacting their islands. This work also helps communities to look after their islands’ natural and cultural values for future generations.

The Biodiversity Project supports the protection of the unique flora and fauna found in the Torres Strait. TSRA works with communities, Traditional Owners and scientists to undertake plant and animal surveys, and on-ground activities to protect ecosystems. TEK is also incorporated into biodiversity studies.

The Sustainable Horticulture Project supports Torres Strait communities to increase food garden production by providing communities and individuals with technical advice to complement their traditional knowledge and customary gardening practices.

This project informs communities and key stakeholders of the climate risks faced by the Torres Strait and what actions should be implemented to reduce these risks and build community resilience.

This project aims to facilitate increased uptake of renewable energy in the Torres Strait and to reduce the region’s carbon footprint.

This project supports the employment of an Environmental Education Coordinator to lead and coordinate the development and delivery of environmental education programs within Tagai State College campuses. Through this project, Torres Strait school students will gain knowledge and understanding about important environmental concepts, and develop a greater sense of awareness and motivation to adopt environmentally sustainable ways of living.

TSRA has developed an Indigenous Land and Sea Management Partnership Investment Prospectus to guide and help secure ongoing investment in priority land and sea management initiatives in the Torres Strait. These initiatives will be delivered through a collaborative approach with sponsors, Traditional Owners, communities, all levels of government, research organisations and other existing and potential partners.

The TSRA is building the capacity of Traditional Owners to play a lead role in managing their islands and sea country, including through the development of compliance capabilities within the organisation. A compliance management unit has been established within TSRA, and Rangers have been trained to undertake certain environmental and fisheries related compliance responsibilities in the region in partnership with other regulatory agencies, including through the delegation of inspector powers.