Theme 2: Assets and values

Valuation of riverine and coastal assets is essential for decision-making about the allocation of these resources to different and sometimes competing uses. Value, however, is contingent on cultural, economic and geographical perspective.

Researchers from Theme 2 are working closely with landowners, land managers, industry and community groups, examining the full range of values associated with tropical rivers and coasts. They are assessing the effects of water use decisions on social, cultural, economic and ecological values and exploring ways to better incorporate these values in decision making.

Projects

2.1: The value of Australia’s tropical rivers

Leader:

Anna Straton

The aims of this research are to work with communities, businesses and the government to identify the uses, values and benefits of three of Australia's tropical rivers and to quantify some of them in dollar terms so that their extent and importance can be accounted for in decision making. The project will also examine how the uses, values and benefits of the river have changed through time so that we can learn from history about how some potential development actions may impact on future uses, values and benefits

2.2: Indigenous values and river flows

Leader:

Sue Jackson

In northern Australia the need for water planning to identify and address Indigenous interests and values is great. However Indigenous values associated with rivers are poorly understood by decision-makers. This project will work closely with Aboriginal communities to look at the importance of water. It will document the social significance of water and quantify the economic benefits households derive from their use of aquatic resources.

Publications

Journal Article
	Title
10/2010	An economic assessment of the value of tropical river ecosystem services: Heterogeneous preferences among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians	Journal Article
01/2011	Exploring and Evaluating Scenarios for a River Catchment in Northern Australia Using Scenario Development, Multi-criteria Analysis and a Deliberative Process as a Tool for Water Planning	Journal Article
12/2011	Protecting Indigenous Values in Water Management: A Challenge to Conventional Environmental Flow Assessments	Journal Article
04/ 2008	Recognition of Indigenous interests in Australian water resource management, with particular reference to environmental flow assessment	Journal Article
12/2010	Trade-offs between development, culture and conservation – Willingness to pay for tropical river management among urban Australians	Journal Article

Conference Participation
	Title
07/2009	Creating the Ngan'gi Seasons Calendar: Reflections on Engaging Indigenous Knowledge Authorities in Research	Conference Participation
09/2009	Indigenous aquatic resource use in the Daly River catchment, Northern Territory	Conference Participation
07/2010	Tropical Rivers in Australia and Customary Resource Use: Putting People into Flow-ecology Relationships	Conference Participation

Presentation
	Title
10/2010	Estimation of economic values for ecosystem services of Australia's tropical rivers, Riversymposium Conference, Perth 2010	Presentation
12/2008	Indigenous people, rivers and water in north Australia: perspectives on an emerging research agenda, Coast 2 Coast Conference, Darwin 2008	Presentation
09/2009	Indigenous values and water allocation research in the Daly River region of Northern Australia, Riversymposium Conference, Brisbane 2009	Presentation

Report
	Title
11/2008	Evaluating scenarios for the Howard catchment	Report
12/2009	The value of Australia’s tropical river ecosystem services	Report
2008	Water resources of the Howard River region, Northern Territory: A report on the social and cultural values and a stakeholder assessment of water use scenarios	Report

Newsletter
	Title
08/2009	Indigenous Socio-economic values and river flows - Newsletter 1, August 2009	Newsletter
10/2010	Indigenous Socio-economic values and river flows - Newsletter 2, October 2010	Newsletter

Artwork
	Title
06/2010	MalakMalak and Matngala plant knowledge - Seasonal Calendar	Artwork
05/2009	Merrepen 2009 Poster- Aboriginal People and River Flows	Artwork
05/2009	Ngan'gi Seasons Calendar, Nauiyu - Daly River	Artwork

Magazine Article
	Title
2009	Seeing northern rivers through Indigenous eyes	Magazine Article
2008	Valuing tropical rivers and their ecosystem services through responsive research.	Magazine Article

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Theme 2: Assets and values

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