Funded October 2014
Biodiversity in Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) is high, yet poorly documented.
To assist with this, the Aboriginal Yugul Mangi Rangers (a group of five men and four women) are working together with Emilie Ens and Mitchell Scott, ecologists from Macquarie University.
Using local Indigenous knowledge, biodiversity data from SE Arnhem Land will be put into the Atlas of Living Australia using both Western scientific names and information, and indigenous names, uses and significance.
Based in SE Arnhem Land, this project aims to facilitate the exchange of biodiversity knowledge by:
- Demonstrating the value of the ALA to Indigenous Australians;
- Demonstrating the value of Indigenous knowledge to non-Indigenous Australians; and
- Promoting cross-cultural ways of knowing and managing Country.
The project also aims to:
- Build local capacity of Rangers to better understand the locations/habitat and status/condition of fauna and flora from Indigenous and Western perspectives;
- Facilitate intergenerational transfer of Indigenous knowledge;
- Create clearly definable employment pathways from school to Rangers and related research opportunities;
- Provide employment opportunities for elders; and
- Engage the whole community in Working on Country activities.
Field guides, local herbaria and preserved fauna collections and school learning products will be generated for the local Ngukurr community, Yugul Mangi Rangers and proposed SE Arnhem Land IPA
Progress and outcomes