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Warul Kawa Indigenous Protected Area
Category:	Place
Date:	1 February 2001
Sub Category:	Indigenous Protected Area
Place:	Deliverance Island, Torres Strait Islands
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State/Country:	Queensland, Australia
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	16 nautical miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea in the Torres Strait.
Alternative Names:	Deliverance Island
Subject Matter:	Cultural Heritage \| Environmental Heritage \| Land Management
Summary Information:
Warul Kawa was declared an Indigenous Protected Area in February 2001. The island has considerable spiritual and cultural significance for the Torres Strait Island people and is one of the few islands in the Torres Strait that has maintained its natural vegetation.The area, which covers 3500 hectares, is managed by the Island Coordinating Council.
Detailed Information:
The name Warul Kawa means 'Island of turtles' in the language of the Torres Strait Island people, the island being an important nesting site for three species of sea turtle, in particular the flatback turtle which is found only in Australian waters. The island also provides important habitat and a major food source for fruit eating birds, the yellow-footed scrubfowl and a large number of seabirds. The management of the area is linked to the World Conservation Union Guidelines for protected area management under category VI (managed resource protected area). The objectives of the Plan of Mangement of the IPA include: -Maintenance of cultural links with the area through increasing visits to it; -Minimising the effects of human impact on the area; -Maintenance and monitoring of the natural resources of the area; -Continuation of hunting and fishing in the area and the passing on of use of and cultural links to natural resources to future generations; and -Collection of information and techniques enabling community members to undertake constructive management decisions.