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The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) is Central Australia’s peak environmental organisation, defending Australia’s iconic arid lands since 1980 through community mobilisation and advocacy for ecological protection, water justice, and climate resilience.

 

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work and recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded.

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Our Work

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Nature

Buffel grass is now considered to be the single greatest environmental threat to arid ecosystems. It out-competes native grasses and alters habitats, leading to more dangerous fires, significant biodiversity loss and loss of...
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Water

Groundwater is the lifeblood of the arid zone, transforming arid environments into the oases of the desert. Shallow groundwater landscapes support the most complex, biodiverse and climate resilient habitat in the arid...
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Climate

Proactive climate adaptation that incorporates climate justice principles involves taking practical actions to build the capacity of Central Australian communities while rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including actions to strengthen housing and...
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Desert Mob: Nurnaka Urrkaapuntja Tharrka, Paintings on Buffel Grass Paper

September 16, 2026

We had an incredible time talking and working together at this year's Desert Mob Artist Talks with the phenomenal artists from Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre about their exhibition Nurnaka Urrkaapuntja Tharrka, Paintings on Buffel Grass Paper. Buffel grass is an existential threat...

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Fracking Spin: Beetaloo first gas announcement Unpacked

September 15, 2026

  Seeing NT chief minister Lia Finocchiaro and Federal Resources minister Madeline King posing with big smiles to turn the tap on for the first fracked gas sales from the Beetaloo Basin is an appalling sight. It is jarring to watch them line up...

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Central Australian Heat Resilience Summit Communique

August 27, 2026

On 12 August 2026, the Inaugural Central Australia Heat Resilience Summit brought together community leaders, technical experts and researchers, representatives from government and the community sector to share knowledge about the impacts of extreme heat on human health and liveability across Central Australia. This...

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