ACT Independent Senator David Pocock hosted a roundtable at Parliament House today bringing together local First Nations custodians, community groups and environmental experts to advance a community-led proposal to protect the Western Edge of Canberra.
The group is working to develop a shared vision for what protecting the Western Edge could look like and to agree on principles to guide the process, including how to embed First Nations’ knowledge, restore biodiversity and ensure the financial sustainability of the project.
At the heart of the proposal is a vision to combine First Nations land management, conservation, and ecologically sustainable land use to create a model that protects and restores biodiversity while generating income through agriculture and ecotourism.
Senator Pocock said the roundtable demonstrates the strength of collaboration and community leadership in shaping Canberra’s future.
“The Western Edge is one of the ACT’s most ecologically and culturally significant landscapes. Protecting it is about reimagining how we treat land and creating sustainable opportunities for generations to come,” Senator Pocock said.
“What excites me most is the vision of bringing together First Nations’ knowledge and practices with science and community leadership. This could be a model for how we protect landscapes across Australia - and it starts here in Canberra.”
The roundtable will aim to agree next steps to carry forward this community-led process, with a commitment to ongoing collaboration between First Nations custodians, community groups, researchers and government.
Senator Pocock encouraged Canberrans to learn more and support the vision by watching a video about the proposal: www.davidpocock.com.au/the_western_edge