TY - JOUR
T1 - Collaborative research partnerships inform monitoring and management of aquatic ecosystems by Indigenous rangers
AU - Dobbs, Rebecca J.
AU - Davies, Christy L.
AU - Walker, Michelle L.
AU - Pettit, Neil E.
AU - Pusey, Bradley J.
AU - Close, Paul G.
AU - Akune, Yoshi
AU - Walsham, Ninjana
AU - Smith, Brendan
AU - Wiggan, Albert
AU - Cox, Preston
AU - Ward, Douglas P.
AU - Tingle, Fiona
AU - Kennett, Rod
AU - Jackson, Micha V.
AU - Davies, Peter M.
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Aquatic ecosystems are critical to the long-term viability and vibrancy of communities and economies across northern Australia. In a region that supports significant cultural and ecological water values, partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders can benefit aquatic ecosystem management. We present, as a case study from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, a collaborative research program that successfully documented Indigenous and Western Scientific knowledge of remote wetlands, using a variety of field-based activities, questionnaires, interviews and workshops. The sharing of knowledge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous research partners facilitated a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem values, threats, processes, management priorities and aspirations. These formed the basis of a management plan and monitoring tools, designed to build the capacity of an Indigenous ranger group to engage in research, monitoring and management of wetlands. The project provides a useful example of the benefits of collaborations in the context of remote-area management where local communities are responsible for environmental management and monitoring, such as is the case in northern Australia and presumably other areas of the world.
AB - Aquatic ecosystems are critical to the long-term viability and vibrancy of communities and economies across northern Australia. In a region that supports significant cultural and ecological water values, partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders can benefit aquatic ecosystem management. We present, as a case study from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, a collaborative research program that successfully documented Indigenous and Western Scientific knowledge of remote wetlands, using a variety of field-based activities, questionnaires, interviews and workshops. The sharing of knowledge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous research partners facilitated a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem values, threats, processes, management priorities and aspirations. These formed the basis of a management plan and monitoring tools, designed to build the capacity of an Indigenous ranger group to engage in research, monitoring and management of wetlands. The project provides a useful example of the benefits of collaborations in the context of remote-area management where local communities are responsible for environmental management and monitoring, such as is the case in northern Australia and presumably other areas of the world.
KW - Indigenous ecological knowledge
KW - Indigenous wetland management
KW - Kimberley
KW - Traditional knowledge
KW - Wetlands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84944937434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11160-015-9401-2
DO - 10.1007/s11160-015-9401-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84944937434
SN - 0960-3166
VL - 26
SP - 711
EP - 725
JO - Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries
JF - Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries
IS - 4
ER -