The Society for Kimberley Indigenous Plants and Animals (SKIPA) was first conceived by local plant enthusiasts in 2007 and continues to welcome new and old residents of Broome and beyond to conserve, protect and celebrate Kimberley plants and animals.

Our aims are to:

  • share information and knowledge and expand the appreciation of Kimberley plants and animals in our communities
  • grow Kimberley native plants and promote their use in home gardens and public places
  • improve the documented knowledge of Kimberley native plants by keeping records about seed collection, propagation, weeding and revegetation techniques
  • connect people and place by bringing people together in safe and welcoming setting to undertake landcare activities.

SKIPA members come together to propagate native plants for revegetation and local native garden projects. They are standing in a shade house.

SKIPA members come together to propagate native plants for revegetation and local native garden projects. Photo: Ayesha Moss 

Get involved in current and future SKIPA projects

SKIPA is for people who are energised by nature and the opportunity to spend time learning, sharing, and contributing with like-minded people. Get involved here (tick SKIPA). We aim to get together every 1-2 months in and around Broome. Some of our current exciting projects include:

  • developing a native bee garden at Broome Lotteries House
  • setting up a community nursery space and equipment
  • native seed collection, cleaning, and storage in collaboration with the Kimberley Community Seedbank
  • propagating native plants, for revegetation and to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly gardening
  • trialling the propagation of hard-to-grow species and documenting new knowledge
  • weeding and planting in Minyirr Park and remnant bushland in Broome
  • supporting community champions to restore Broome’s drainage network
  • supporting weed control, plant, and animal surveys within EK’s Kimberley Nature Projects
  • Kimberley flora and fauna survey field trips
  • collecting and mounting herbarium specimens
  • Botanical Park and Garden maintenance
  • natural plant dyeing workshops
  • botanical art classes
  • guided botanical walks
  • encouraging community learning and engagement through our iNaturalist project.

iNaturalist project page showing local plants

This online program and app allows community members to map and share their flora and fauna finds. Through iNaturalist we are supporting each other to improve our collective plant knowledge, while building better national species distribution maps.

Sign up to support our local project, Plants of Broome and Beyond, on iNaturalist. It can also be downloaded from the app store.

We would love to see you in person, as well as online, to swap germination techniques, share photographs, seek, and provide support for plant or animal identification, and post stories about your floristic excursions or fauna sightings.

Sign up to our email list for alerts on upcoming events here (tick SKIPA).

Ongoing volunteer roles

We are also looking for people to fill ongoing volunteer roles. Can you assist with any of these activities?

  • administration and communication, including: 
  • equipment maintenance
  • organising field trips and events
  • writing articles
  • contributing photos
  • catering

For more information or to sign up to the SKIPA email list, email SKIPA ([email protected])

SKIPA members stand in a semi-circle listening to Phil who is standing near a bee box in a tree.

SKIPA members at a native stingless bee workshop. Photo: Ayesha Moss

What else has SKIPA done?

Auspiced by Environs Kimberley, SKIPA volunteers have collaborated with many other groups and organisations. Over the past 15 years, SKIPA has:

Links to media and interviews

'Eucalypt enthusiast sings praises of rare Broome beauty' radio interview with Phil Docherty on Kimberley Breakfast with Vanessa Mills, ABC Kimberley, 27 Nov 2023

Funders

        

SKIPA is grateful for the support of Environs Kimberley and the Shire of Broome.

For more information, contact

SKIPA ([email protected])

Banner image: SKIPA working alongside Bardi Jawi Oorany rangers to weed endangered monsoon vine thicket in the Dampier Peninsula. Photo: Julia Rau

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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