The Federal Government says it is offering more opportunities for Aboriginal groups to get funding for environmental projects.
It has announced more targets for its $2 billion Caring for Our Country Program, including employing 300 more Indigenous rangers.
It also wants to pay Aboriginal communities to conserve biodiversity, and fight weeds and feral animals on an extra 2 million hectares of their land each year.
The Australian Conservation Foundation’s Corey Watts says more money is needed to make a real difference to the environment, and it will be good for many communities.
"One of the main criteria for funding for many projects, specifically projects linked to Indigenous communities, is that Indigenous communities benefit socially and economically, as well as in terms of improving land health," he said.
"So there are real opportunities here for Government money to catalyse real economic and regional development opportunities."
Mr Watts says overall the amount of money being spent will still only scratch the surface of what is needed.
"There’s a recognition that Northern Australia has a special culture, has special social issues to deal with and has special natural heritage," he said.
"A lot of that is still fairly intact. We have a good chance of preserving that, and of developing economic opportunities for communities in the north from conservation."