Indigenous socio-economic values and river flows
The Issue
North Australia’s Indigenous communities have a large stake in water resource management arising from their distinct cultural perspective on the environment, native title rights and long traditions of customary land and water management.
It is therefore important that water management plans identify and address Indigenous interests and values in water. Currently, however, Indigenous values associated with rivers are poorly understood by decision-makers, and some are difficult to relate explicitly to flow regimes, to quantify in water allocation decisions, or incorporate into management objectives.
CSIRO Research
This Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) funded project is recording Indigenous social and cultural knowledge relating to water and quantifying the economic benefit to Indigenous people from water-dependent resource use. It is focusing on two catchments: the Daly River in the Northern Territory and the Fitzroy River in Western Australia.
Researchers from CSIRO will assess the impacts of altered water levels – or flow regimes – on patterns of Indigenous resource use. They will also recommend ways of maintaining these patterns and relationships to river systems.
Community surveys to quantify the direct economic benefit derived from Indigenous use of aquatic resources began in 2008 and will continue over three years. Spatial mapping of resource use will assist in documenting the significance of water and river systems to Indigenous communities.
The development of a monitoring program involving researchers and local Indigenous community groups will develop indicators of change in the relationships described. This information will be useful for water management plans.
Project outcomes include:- Improved understanding of the social and economic significance of water, rivers and wild resources to Indigenous people in the Daly (NT) and Fitzroy (WA) catchments
- Systematic and comprehensive assessment of Indigenous values (related to flow) and impacts of change to flow regime
- A tested method to assess, incorporate and monitor Indigenous values in water planning
- Indigenous participation in a trial monitoring program for flow regime change and aquatic resource use
- Collaborations that will enhance the capacity of researchers, Indigenous communities and managers to incorporate social assessments in water allocation decisions and planning
|
Image: © Skyscans
Collaborators
|
