Not everyone can say their workday combines healing Country, building relationships, and bringing wetlands back to life. For Jiarra Atkinson, it's what makes her job so special.
In July, Jiarra will be supporting the Australian delegation as our non-government First Nations youth representative at COP15 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. She brings her unique experience to international talks aimed at making sure the Convention on Wetlands remains a useful, living document.
The convention guides its contracting parties - including Australia as a founding member - in making the best choices for Earth's precious wetlands and the people who rely on them.
Jiarra, a proud Bangerang woman raised on Cummeragunja Mission, is part of the Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group. Driving vast distances alongside the Murray River, Jiarra builds relationships that make real change for First Nations people, wetlands, landholders and the surrounding environment.
'It's all really relational,' she says. 'We're building trust from the ground up. Some of these wetlands haven't been accessed by First Nations people for nearly 150 years. And it's a real revival of culture in some places.'
Jiarra always starts with conversation. Assessing cultural safety with Traditional Owners and landholders is key. Once connections are made, she arranges access to Country for First Nations communities and eventually the release of environmental water to the landscape.
'When the water goes on, it really brings life. The birds, the plants, the bugs - it's a whole different system once the water goes on. It's quite special,' she says.
Jiarra also gets to witness the difference her work makes for Traditional Owners firsthand.
'You just see this twinkle in their eye. They start having ideas, they start thinking about stories,' she says.
'Watching the stories come back - that's the real "wow" moment.'
For Jiarra, COP15 is a chance to share what she has learned from these experiences and bring back new ideas.
'I'm really honoured to represent First Nations involvement in wetlands management, and really excited to represent my own people and our involvement in the management of our wetlands,' she says.
'I'm definitely keen to see how some of the other countries approach Indigenous land management and wetlands management.'
COP15 is held from July 23-31 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
