On Feb. 3 group of Australian indigenous rangers and a came to Yellowknife to speak with Canadian Indigenous groups to provide insight on the various land governance program models and to enjoy Canadian north with some dog sledding and snowmobiling.

The group came from 40C weather to -40C but despite the shock, they enjoyed their first experiences dog sledding.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is the kind of thing you only see in movies back home,SA国际影视传媒� David Ross, head of the Central Land Council in Australia, said.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's a great opportunity to see how people have lived here. What a feeling,SA国际影视传媒� Ross said.

After a day of dog sledding and a long night of snowmobiling and aurora chasing, the group was invited dinner at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre put on by the Indigenous Leadership Initiative on Feb.4 to demonstrate the success their ranger program have seen.

In Australia, land governance programs run by Indigenous groups have seen great success. With 17 per cent of Australian land being protected, half of that land is managed by Indigenous land councils.

SA国际影视传媒淢any areas in Australia become subject to invasive and noxious weeds and wildlife as well as wild fires,SA国际影视传媒� Patrick O'Leary, of PEW Charitable Trust in Australia. SA国际影视传媒淭he rangers are hired to come in and perform managed burns and destroying invasive species to protect biodiversity and generally be stewards of the land.SA国际影视传媒�

Dean Yibarbuk, a ranger with Warddeken Land Management, says that although the land management programs are relatively recent, the results have been positive.

SA国际影视传媒淚nitially the government was not involving Indigenous people, but since they have started our people are finding jobs working with their land,SA国际影视传媒� Yibarbuk said.

The work of the Indigenous Rangers has inspired the motto SA国际影视传媒淧eople need country and country needs peopleSA国际影视传媒� which speaks to the need for need for Australia as a whole to employ the knowledge of Indigenous stewards to protect the landscape.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we say 'country' we mean it in the sense that an Indigenous person in Canada would mean when they say 'territory,'SA国际影视传媒� O'Leary said. SA国际影视传媒淎ustralia has hundreds of these countries. Currently 118 separate land management groups with nearly 3000 people employed under the ranger program.SA国际影视传媒�

Dennis Rose of the Budj Bim Rangers spoke to how these land management groups provide far more than jobs alone.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese programs protect biodiversity but also promote cultural responsibility,SA国际影视传媒� Rose said. SA国际影视传媒淧eople are gaining responsibility in land management instead having it taken away. There's a lot of pride in that.SA国际影视传媒�

According to O'Leary, these programs have significant financial benefits as well as social. Every $1 invested by the government has seen a return in value of up to $3 and the Australian federal government has invested $804 million CAD. In Canada $500 million has been invested to reach 17 per cent of our lands protected by 2020.

SA国际影视传媒淭he programs are constructive for communities and this value is created because there are less people using social assistance, there's reduced health spending and it's keeping people out of jail which is reducing justice costs,SA国际影视传媒� O'Leary said.

The Australian envoy's visit was help made possible by the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and they were accompanied by the ILI's Steven Nitah, who is a lead negotiator for Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Dene First Nations.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur visitors have a strong message for all Canadians,SA国际影视传媒� Nitah said. SA国际影视传媒淭heir land management programs are not just a social program, it's an investment. In Australia they've seen large returns on the money their federal government has invested. That's how it needs to be approached to get people on board here.SA国际影视传媒�

Their presentation was received by Chief Ernest Betsina of the Yellowknives Dene and representatives from Dehcho First Nations, Sahtu Dene Council among others where the Austrians were given a presentations on Indigenous land governance programs in Canada.