Copper South Australia, Healthy environment goal partnership

Our 2030 Healthy environment goal is to contribute to global nature-positive action by having at least 2 million hectares of the land and water we steward^1,2 under conservation, restoration or regenerative practices by FY2030. This is an area approximately equivalent to 30 per cent of the land and water we stewarded² as at FY2023. In doing so, we will take into account areas of highest ecosystem value both within and outside our own operational footprint, in partnership with Indigenous peoples and local communities. 

Copper South Australia is progressing the Jackboot Healthy environment goal nature project in partnership with the Arabana Rangers on Arabana Country in northern South Australia. This year the Rangers, in partnership with Arid Recovery, delivered a report on their feral animal monitoring program across Jackboot.

The program deployed 50 camera traps across the 158,000-hectare project area in order to assess feral animal activity to inform future land management planning.  

The monitoring program detected more than 36 fauna species across the project area, including a diverse range of native fauna, with more than 20 bird species alongside native mammals and reptiles. Introduced species, including feral cats, red foxes, rabbits and camels, were also detected.  

"Arabana Wadlhu Ngurrku-ku – In our language this means Arabana Healthy Country 

The above saying means a lot to us. 

We as Arabana people strive to look after our country as best we can. We thank BHP for this opportunity and partnership to be part of this amazing project on our country. 

There is nothing better than for us as Rangers to get up in the morning knowing we are going out and working on Arabana Wadlhu”  
 
- (Zaaheer McKenzie, Arabana Head Ranger) 

The findings are expected to inform the next phase of the partnership, including priorities for feral animal management, ongoing monitoring and broader land management planning, to support the monitoring and management of ecosystem condition.   

BHP seeks to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples through engagement and collaboration. At Jackboot, this includes working collaboratively with the Arabana Ranger team on approaches to land management that integrate cultural knowledge and Indigenous ranger capability, with the aim of supporting long-term environmental outcomes and strengthening partnerships over time.

Footnotes

1 It may include areas we stewarded for a period between FY2023 and FY2030 but have relinquished to a third party with the requisite expertise, and under conditions that create a high likelihood of durability of ongoing conservation, restoration or regenerative management practice. 

2 Excludes areas held under greenfield exploration licences (or equivalent tenements), which are outside the area of influence of our existing mine operations.