1.2: New ways of better involving Indigenous people in planning for our water and land resources

Leader:

Owen Stanley

Abstract

<p>The perspectives of Indigenous communities are often not heard in mainstream water and land planning processes and debates.  Through targeted training (learning by doing) this research aims to give local Indigenous communities the skills required to effectively participate and be heard; and to explore alternative ways and arrangements for developing water resources (scenarios).</p>

Outcomes

For Governments, this research will enable Indigenous aspirations to be more clearly heard within mainstream water planning processes leading to more inclusive policy making and better decisions.

For Indigenous land holders, ranger groups and organisations this research will build skills, capacity and confidence that they can actively shape decisions that affect the river values that are important to them. Through this research Indigenous landholders will be better positioned to understand and say what's important to them and how they want the future to unfold.

For catchment authorities, natural resource management boards and landcare groups, this research will mean that their work in identifying priority land management tasks is done with a more active and useful contribution from Indigenous partners.

Where is the research happening?

The research will initially be piloted in the Daly river catchment (NT) and then expanded into the Mitchell (Qld) and Fitzroy (WA) catchments.

Who's involved

The project is conducted by a team of researchers working at Charles Darwin University. Researchers will work directly with Indigenous people in each catchment (e.g. the Aboriginal Reference Group in the Daly) who will be part of the research effort.