The Green Army: preserving the environment and providing jobs

The Green Army is a hands-on, grassroots environmental action programme that supports local environmental and heritage conservation projects across Australia. It is an initiative for Australians aged 17–24 years interested in protecting their local environment.

Paul Rymer, an Aboriginal man working on the Killalea State Park project at Shell Cove, New South Wales, is one of them.

“During my time in the Green Army I've been building rock walls for drains, making walking tracks, mulching our tracks, treating weeds, and making fences,” Paul said.

“This is a great opportunity for Aboriginal people so when the opportunity for Green Army approaches, you take it.”

There are more than 500 participants delivering Green Army projects already, 50 of whom identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The Australian Government has committed to increasing Indigenous participation in this programme to 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over the next five years.

The Green Army is equipped to support participants and projects in remote communities, and can provide targeted training and ways to connect Indigenous Australians with their country, identity and culture. Indigenous groups across Australia can also apply to host a Green Army project.

Working on Country ranger groups are particularly encouraged to get involved in the Green Army, either by proposing projects, or taking on an expert advisory role to train Green Army recruits.

For Indigenous participants, the Green Army provides the opportunity to learn directly from Working on Country rangers and supervisors. The experience they gain and skills they learn provide a stepping stone for future job opportunities in the land and sea management sector.

“It's a great opportunity to learn about everything, not just one skill. Killalea State Park is a very culturally significant place; it has so much history for Aboriginal people and I'm glad I can be a part of this beautiful place,” Paul said.