Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub | Organisation
Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub
Phone: +61 8 8946 7476
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25.01.2022 As part of National NAIDOC Week, we're continuing to highlight our important collaborative research with Traditional Owners across northern Australia. An Indigenous-led Hub project is solving complex environmental management problems in Kakadu National Park. They’re finalists for the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for STEM Inclusion. They're also finalists in the Territory NRM Best Collaboration in NRM award category! You can see more about the collaborative approach of thi...s project in the video below or read more about the project here bit.ly/2GVDt76 CSIRO | Charles Darwin University | The University of Western Australia | Parks Australia | Microsoft | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Njanjma Rangers | The Northern Institute
24.01.2022 Flows from rivers into the Gulf of Carpentaria contain nutrients that support the growth and reproduction of important fisheries species like banana prawns and barramundi. This project investigated the importance of three rivers the Mitchell, Flinders and Gilbert to Gulf fisheries. National Science Week | Griffith University | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |Southern Gulf NRM | Northern Gulf Resource Management Group | Australian Marine Conservation Society | MangroveWatch
23.01.2022 Hoppy Bilby Day! Once found across most of mainland Australia, the iconic mankarr (Greater bilby) is now restricted mainly to the north west. A team from the Na...tional Environmental Science Programs Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub is hopping to shine a light on the health of previously unstudied Western Australian bilby populations. The project involves on-Country Traditional Owner land managers, rangers and researchers surveying bilbies across the vast Kimberley region to discover where theyre living and how many there are. The teams findings will build local species management capacity and help secure the bilbys future against pressures such as habitat loss, altered fire regimes and introduced animals. Like many others across the National Environmental Science Program, the Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hubs monitoring, mapping and safeguarding Kimberly bilbies project brings together researchers and Indigenous land managers to deliver practical, on-ground solutions to help understand and protect Australias unique biodiversity and ecosystems. Find out more: bit.ly/2RbFOMK 1. Greater Bilby, Bill Bachman 2. Bilby burrow, photo @WAParksWildlife 3. Bilby at night, WA Dept of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions #NationalBilbyDay #BiodiversityMonth #biodiversity #bilbies #threatenedspecies #conservation @kimberleylandcouncil @environs.kimberley
23.01.2022 New Hub research published in Environmental DNA has shown that environmental DNA (eDNA) is an effective tool to track the arrival of cane toads into a new area. Dr Cecilia Villacorta-Rath and Professor Damien Burrows of James Cook University were able to detect the eDNA of a single cane toad that had spent as little as five minutes hydrating in a small pond of water. They also tested how long cane toad eDNA persists in water at temperatures of 25, 30 and 35 degrees Celsius.... They found that cane toad eDNA persists in the water for two or three days after a toad has visited, regardless of the waters temperature. The research opens up the possibility of Indigenous rangers and citizen scientists in remote areas such as the Torres Strait and the Kimberley being able to track the invasion of cane toads by collecting water samples from small ponds during the day, rather than by searching for cane toads at night. The project is part of a larger research program investigating how eDNA can be used to detect species in tropical waters, led by Professor Burrows. Read more bit.ly/33d7eJo JCU: James Cook University, Australia | TropWATER | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Territory NRM | Bush Heritage Australia | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Biosecurity Queensland | Invasive Species Council | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
23.01.2022 In the Gulf of Carpentaria, wet season floods replenish river channels and floodplain wetlands, and kickstart the growth of algae and other aquatic vegetation that form the base of aquatic food webs. Ensuring environmentally sustainable development of the Gulfs water resources requires an understanding of how proposed water extraction will affect the productivity of floodplain habitats. In new research published in Ecological Indicators, Hub researchers used remotely sensed ...data to trace how floodwaters create hotspots of aquatic plant growth on the Gilbert Rivers floodplains. They found that while both river flows and local rainfall contribute to floodplain inundation, river flows were a better indicator of floodplain productivity. Water infrastructure that reduces river flows from the Gilberts upstream catchment may reduce floodplain inundation in the lower catchment, leading to a loss of productivity in the wetland ecosystems that support freshwater fish, such as juvenile barramundi. Read more here https://bit.ly/3id0aBh This research is part of a larger project on the links between Gulf rivers and coastal productivity, led by Professor Michele Burford of Griffith University. Northern Gulf Resource Management Group | Griffith Science | Queensland Environment Department | Water Queensland | Australian Marine Conservation Society | Fisheries Queensland
22.01.2022 We're honoured to have TWO finalists in the Best Collaboration in NRM category in the 2020 NT Natural Resource Management Awards! Winners are announced on 18 November - we'll see you there!
21.01.2022 Up north, theres a big reptile with an exquisite set of sharp teeth and deadpan eyes whose future may not be as secure as we think. More info on this Hub project https://www.nespnorthern.edu.au//managing-savanna-riparia/
21.01.2022 Its #ScienceWeek! Well be sharing a few videos about our research in the Gulf of Carpentaria this week. Did you know Gulf of Carpentaria coasts are critically important habitat for migratory shorebirds? These birds fly to Australia from as far away as Alaska every year, and rely on the worms, crabs, clams and other food of the Gulf mudflats and sandflats to fatten up for their journey. This collaboration between Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and Griffith U...niversity is showing just how important the Gulf is for these long-distance fliers. National Science Week | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Threatened Species Commissioner | Queensland Wader Study Group | BirdLife Australia | MangroveWatch | Australian Marine Conservation Society | Southern Gulf NRM | Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
20.01.2022 The Hub and Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation are proud to launch the collaborative Nyikina Seasonal Calendar, which shares and promotes Nyikina expertise of Nyikina Country by showing some of the key relationships between between seasons, water, plants, animals, people and ancestral beings. The calendar as well as a seasonal connection poster are available from the Hub website (https://bit.ly/2UTObON & https://bit.ly/371DiQG) or from Walalakoo Aboriginal Coporation.
20.01.2022 Check out our case study in the "Demonstrating impact" section of the Key Directions Statement then read more about this research: https://bit.ly/2L52ISH Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation | Country Needs People | Bush Heritage Australia | Our Mob on Country | JCU: Discover | Our Living Outback
19.01.2022 What a night! We're honoured to have won not one but TWO Territory NRM Natural Resource Management Awards for our Tjuwaliyn-Wagiman Aboriginal Corporation / Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) Water Conservation Collaboration project! The team won both the Best Collaboration in NRM Award and the Research in NRM Award. Congratulations to all involved in this project, and all the other winners and finalists for your great work managing the outstanding natural resources of the Northern Territory! Read more about this 16-year partnership https://bit.ly/2Kr1nJ5
18.01.2022 Read more about this joint Threatened Species Recovery Hub and Northern Hub project that has looked at mammal declines in northern Australia and found that among the possible causes, weve been underestimating the effects of feral livestock. https://theconversation.com/the-mystery-of-the-top-ends-van
18.01.2022 We're honoured to have TWO finalists in the Best Collaboration in NRM category in the 2020 Territory NRM Awards! The Tjuwaliyn-Wagiman Aboriginal Corporation/TRaCK Water Conservation team and the Kakadu NESP Healthy Country Research Project are both finalists in this category. The Tjuwaliyn-Wagiman Aboriginal Corporation/TRaCK Water Conservation team are also finalists in the Research in NRM category. ... You can read more about the Wagiman/TRaCK collaboration here bit.ly/3ksGMjU You can read more about the Healthy Country research project here bit.ly/38BFXmn CSIRO | Charles Darwin University | The University of Western Australia | Microsoft | Kakadu National Park | Parks Australia | Griffith University | NT Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security
18.01.2022 Hub researchers from JCU: James Cook University, Australia have developed a new data portal that will allow free access to information on more than 1400 rare, threatened and other plants and animals of conservation concern found in northern Australia. Access the data portal here bit.ly/31B2fkL Read more about creating the data portal bit.ly/2YNFpEU... Griffith University | Wet Tropics World Heritage Area | Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia | Queensland Environment Department | Queensland Science | NT Department of Environment and Natural Resources | Threatened Species Recovery Hub | Threatened Species Commissioner | Territory NRM | IUCN Red List of Threatened Species | The Nature Conservancy Australia | Environment Centre NT | Invasive Species Council | Biosecurity Queensland
17.01.2022 The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Science Partnerships team in Canberra is looking for an Indigenous knowledge broker for the National Environmental Science Program. Read more about the role here and apply or share the opportunity with someone who would be a good fit for the role bit.ly/30RoRf0 North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd | Northern Land Council | Kimberley Land Council | Territory NRM | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Country Needs People | Bush Heritage Australia
17.01.2022 Australia is home to 7% of the worlds mangroves, mostly located in the tropics. During the summer of 2015-6, one of the worst mangrove dieback events ever recorded devastated around 7400 hectares of mangroves along more than 1000 km of Gulf of Carpentaria coastline. This project produced a field guide for Indigenous rangers to monitor mangrove condition in the Gulf. #ScienceWeek Video #2! National Science Week | Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation | JCU: James C...ook University, Australia | NESP TWQ Hub TropWATER | Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub | Marine Biodiversity Hub | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | MangroveWatch | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Southern Gulf NRM |Northern Gulf Resource Management Group | Normanton Rangers | Gangalidda & Garawa Rangers See more
16.01.2022 Gulf freshwater flows essential for prawns! As opportunities to develop the water resources of Australias north continue to be investigated, a new paper from Hub researchers shows how river flows are critical to the productivity of the Gulf of Carpentarias banana prawn fishery. Changes in freshwater flows due to water extraction from the Gilbert, Mitchell and Flinders Rivers will affect the productivity of the prawn fishery, according to research published in Ecosphere. Ba...sed on 28 years of data, PhD student Andrew Broadley modelled future scenarios of how water extraction would affect the prawn catch. He found that water extraction during low-flow years will have the greatest impact on the prawn fishery, because of the loss of the freshwater cue for prawns to emigrate from estuaries into coastal waters. Protecting low-level flows will be essential to ensure sustained fishery yields. This research is part a larger project on the links between Gulf rivers and coastal productivity, led by Professor Michele Burford of Griffith University. Find more links for the project here bit.ly/2QMH60k Griffith Science | Fisheries Queensland | Australian Fisheries Management Authority | Queensland Environment Department | CSIRO | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
16.01.2022 How can we support cross-cultural, Indigenous fire partnerships to manage Australias landscape? Were working with Indigenous fire experts across the country.
15.01.2022 The 2020 North Australia Savanna Fire Forum - SOLD OUT starts tomorrow at CDU in Darwin. Were looking forward to the forum as over 300 delegates are expected ...to attend over the next 2 days. NAILSMA CEO Ricky Archer will be facilitating the Fire Ecology and Biodiversity Session at 2-3pm Tuesday 18th. Ricky will be presenting in the Valuing benefits from the savanna fire management Session at 11am on Wednesday 19th. You can view the Forum Program on the https://www.savannafireforum.net/program-1
15.01.2022 Welcome to #ScienceWeek! The six Hubs of the National Environmental Science Program are delivering quality science all across Australia.
14.01.2022 WAs Fitzroy Rivers rich resources depend on groundwater and dry-season flows. Algal biofilms submerged, nutrient-dense mats of single-celled algae form the basis of many aquatic food webs. New Hub research, published in Hydrobiologia and led by Dr Ryan Burrows of Griffith University, has found that algal biofilms thrive in the shallow, warm and light-filled runs and riffles found along the Kimberleys Fitzroy River in the dry season. They are particularly productive in... areas where nitrogen-rich groundwater upwells and mixes with river water. With water allocation planning for the Fitzroy River catchment currently underway, its essential that we understand the conditions that promote the productivity of algal biofilms, and hence the rivers food webs, all the way from microscopic algae through to metre-long barramundi. The research found that water regulation and extraction that either reduces dry-season flows along the river or lowers groundwater levels beneath the rivers main channel are likely to reduce algal production in places identified as biofilm hotspots. The research is part of a larger Hub project investigating the environmental water needs of the Fitzroy River, led by Professor Michael Douglas of The University of Western Australia. More project info bit.ly/2zy8HgS : Ryan Burrows Griffith University | Griffith Science | The University of Western Australia | Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia | Kimberley Land Council
14.01.2022 Highlighting people, science and impact in northern Australian landscapes The Northern Hub is using proven science communication techniques alongside innovative approaches to most effectively deliver research findings including factsheets, diagrams, animations, storymaps and symbols to tell the stories of research in northern Australia. This transdisciplinary approach has led to uptake by research users, in some cases even before the research is completed. Recently at the Aus...tralian Science Communicators Conference, the Hubs transdisciplinary research approach was presented. This approach brings together knowledge for research users federal and state government departments, Traditional Owners and land managers to showcase research results in ways and at times that are most relevant to them. One area that received great attention was the development of symbols to assist in knowledge exchange with Traditional Owners. These symbols will be publicly available soon in the meantime, keep an eye on our website for these tales of impact in the coming months. Read more about our impact bit.ly/2IRmW1r Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Reef and Rainforest Research Centre | CRCNA | Threatened Species Recovery Hub
14.01.2022 Consultation on the scope of Australia’s 2021 State of the Environment report has been extended until midnight this Sunday, 1 November 2020. The Australian Gove...rnment produces this comprehensive review of our environment every 5 years to inform policies and practices across government. The report provides information about environmental, water and agricultural conditions, trends and pressures. It captures the Australian continent, surrounding seas and external territories. You can help shape the report by taking our survey. Your feedback will help identify if there are any gaps in the proposed scoping, such as missing data sources. To take part, visit: https://bit.ly/3j3lAAa
13.01.2022 Hub researchers would like to hear from you if you fish in the Mitchell in north Qld.
11.01.2022 Today is the second day of #NAIDOCWeek and we're continuing to highlight our collaborative and Indigenous-led research with Indigenous people across northern Australia. The findings of research between Nyikina Elders and Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub researchers will help water planners understand and consider Nyikina people’s ethics and custodial responsibilities, and not just their ecological knowledge, in the context of water planning and management for t...he Mardoowarra (Fitzroy River) in the Kimberley. A river’s health relies on its relationships with people and other life! Maintaining mutually supportive relationships with places and non-human beings is a foundation of sustainability for Nyikina people. The river, for example, needs human connection and care to sustain its health, just like a person does. Although quantitative indicators of ecosystem health are important, simply meeting volumetric targets for water flows or fish numbers is not enough to ensure the river’s vitality. This can only be achieved by maintaining reciprocal relationships between the river, its waters, plants and animals, people and ancestral beings. The water-planning framework should be based upon this critical set of relationships. The researchers encourage sustainability scientists and water planners to work collaboratively with Indigenous people so that custodial relationships under Indigenous law are given equal consideration with hydro-ecological science and federal and state legislative requirements. This collaboration has also resulted in the beautiful Nyikina Seasonal calendar, a cultural poster about the cycle of life, story and law in Nyikina Country. The calendar will be launched at an event on Nyikina Country in Derby, Western Australia, on 15 November. Keep an eye out to see an online version of the calendar! The research is outlined in a new paper, and a plain-English summary of the research is available here bit.ly/2U8p0ri. The collaboration is part of a larger research project investigating Indigenous water needs for the Fitzroy River, led by Professor Sue Jackson of Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute. Read more about the project here bit.ly/38dP2l6 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe National NAIDOC Griffith Environment | Griffith University | Kimberley Land Council | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Environs Kimberley | Country Needs People | Our Mob on Country
11.01.2022 21 April is World Curlew Day. Darwin is a very important place for the far eastern curlew, which is Australias largest migratory shorebird as well as one of it...s most endangered. A collaboration between Charles Darwin University scientists and Larrakia Nation Rangers is revealing the most important habitats for the species around Darwin Harbour. Researcher Amanda Lilleyman also has some helpful tips about how people can help migratory shorebirds along their local beaches. This Threatened Species Recovery Hub project is supported by the National Environmental Science Program and Darwin Port Operations. East Asian - Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Wader and Shorebird Conservation Projects Threatened Species Commissioner Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
11.01.2022 Our Hub research program is user-driven. We want our research to be useful and delivered to decision-makers and land managers, so we design our projects in collaboration with those who will end up using our research to make better decisions guided by science. Weve been asking our research users how theyve been using our research, and were proud to present our first Research for impact video. The Gouldian finch eDNA project is a collaboration between Charles Darwin Univer...sity, NT Department of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Western Australia and Jawoyn Rangers, and is delivering real impact for those charged with monitoring and managing these endangered birds in the Top End. Read more in the research impact story bit.ly/2WIDsb7 Charles Darwin University | RIEL - Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods | NT Department of Environment and Natural Resources | The University of Western Australia | Jawoyn Association | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Territory NRM | Threatened Species Commissioner | BirdLife Australia | Birdlife Top End | Environment Centre NT | The Nature Conservancy Australia | Tumbling Waters Holiday Park | Territory Wildlife Park
11.01.2022 Happy new year! Over 300 of you have registered so far for our free northern Australia symbol library How have you been using the symbols? We love them all but our special favourites include the saltwater croc, eastern curlew, troopy and Indigenous ranger symbols ... Which are your favourites? Register and download here https://bit.ly/32MsGTu
11.01.2022 Did you miss the launch of the Our Knowledge, Our Way Guidelines last week? You can watch the launch event here https://vimeo.com/443272584 You can watch the full film about the guidelines here ... https://vimeo.com/442907804 You can read more about the creation of the guidelines & access them here bit.ly/2PFPz5b More than 100 Indigenous contributors have created the first Indigenous-led guidelines on how to best strengthen and share Indigenous knowledge in land and sea management, facilitated through the Australian Governments National Environmental Science Program (NESP). The Our Knowledge Our Way in caring for Country Best Practice Guidelines from Australian experiences is based on 23 case studies from across Australia, from the Torres Strait to Tasmania. The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA), CSIRO, and the Australian Committee for IUCN facilitated the guidelines as part of NESP Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub research that is supporting Traditional Owners by enabling the sharing of their knowledge the right way in land management and environmental research. Australian Committee for IUCN | CSIRO | North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
10.01.2022 Hub researchers from CSIRO, Charles Darwin University and The University of Western Australia have developed a machine-learning approach that reliably detects invasive gamba grass from high-resolution satellite imagery RIEL - Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods | Bushfires NT | North Australian Fire Information - NAFI | Gamba Grass Roots | NT Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security | Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife
10.01.2022 We are using the latest #science and #technology to find the stunning Gouldian Finch and carefully manage its habitat. To find out more about NESP visit: environment.gov.au/science/nesp #eDNA #Gouldianfinch Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub
10.01.2022 Invasive para grass (Urochloa mutica) threatens important cultural and ecological values of Ramsar-listed Nardab floodplains in Kakadu National Park. In our second Research for impact video, watch how Hub researchers built on long-term collaborations with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners to develop and apply Bininj/Mungguy indicators of cultural-ecosystem health for the floodplains. These indicators are being used to identify priority areas for targeted para grass control ...and monitor the effectiveness of treatments. Read more about this collaborative effort between Kakadu National Park, CSIRO, Charles Darwin University, The University of Western Australia and Njanjma Aboriginal Corporation in the research impact story https://www.nespnorthern.edu.au//keeping-country-healthy-/. Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |Parks Australia | Kakadu National Park | CSIRO | Charles Darwin University | The University of Western Australia | Njanjma Aboriginal Corporation | The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands | The Northern Institute |Territory NRM |Northern Land Council | Our Mob on Country | Country Needs People
10.01.2022 Strengthening & appropriate sharing of knowledge has been an underpinning principle of all NESP Northern Hub projects. The processes of reporting back to co-researchers and sharing final outputs with research users will become critical for the Hub in the coming months and you can read about some of the most recent examples in our August eNews. Read more bit.ly/2DKgjiy... Charles Darwin University | RIEL - Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods | CSIRO | North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd | Griffith University | The University of Western Australia | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Threatened Species Recovery Hub
10.01.2022 How sensitive are riparian trees to contaminated mine water? Hub research is testing the limits of some common riparian species that grow along Magela Creek, downstream of Ranger uranium mine. Read the project update https://bit.ly/3bEkBCY Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Kakadu National Park | Parks Australia | RIEL - Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods | Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation | Northern Land Council | Territory NRM
09.01.2022 Since the unprecedented mangrove dieback in 2015, JCU: James Cook University, Australias Dr Norm Duke has been leading a multi-Hub NESP project assessing the mangrove dieback in the Gulf of Carpentaria and whether recovery is occurring. The sheer scale of the Gulf of Carpentaria coastline means that regular monitoring is a challenge. Through this project, Dr Duke has aerially surveyed 2,633km of Gulf coastline, but ongoing monitoring is critical to understanding mangrove re...covery and identifying other unusual dieback events. To support this, the research team has produced a guide for Indigenous ranger groups along the northern Australian coastline to monitor mangrove condition using the MangroveWatch standardised shoreline assessment method. This guide establishes all the components and equipment settings so that groups can contribute standardised data to improve understanding of large-scale patterns in the Gulfs important ecosystems. This work has also been supported by the Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub, the Marine Biodiversity Hub, and the NESP TWQ Hub. See more https://www.nespnorthern.edu.au//field-guide-for-mangrove/ JCU: Discover | TropWATER | Northern Land Council | Our Mob on Country | Country Needs People | Keep Top End Coasts Healthy | Normanton Rangers | Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation | Environment Centre NT | MangroveWatch | Gangalidda & Garawa Rangers
09.01.2022 Northern Australias rich and unique biodiversity faces many threats including weeds, feral animals and inappropriate fire regimes. Knowledge gaps around where threatened species are located and their sensitivity and exposure to various threats can limit the effectiveness of conservation actions and create uncertainty for sustainable development in the north. Hub research aiming to address these knowledge gaps has produced spatially explicit data and maps that can be used to ...inform conservation policy and assessments as well as guide decision-making about how to manage or mitigate threats. Project leaders Dr Anna Pintor (James Cook University) and Associate Professor Mark Kennard (Griffith University) have produced distribution maps for more than 1,400 species of conservation concern, hotspot maps showing species richness, and maps of key threatening processes including ~250 weed species, feral animals and wildlife diseases. Combining the maps of species distributions with maps of threatening processes and information on how sensitive the species are to those threats has produced maps showing areas of high vulnerability that is, where species of conservation concern overlap with threats that they are sensitive to. The extensive user guide has just been published and contains detailed information on how to use the data produced from this project. Please contact project leader Dr Anna Pintor for more information. Read more and access the user guide (and other project resources!) here bit.ly/2KKVsLF JCU: James Cook University, Australia | JCU: Discover | Griffith University | Griffith Science | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Threatened Species Commissioner
09.01.2022 Positive knowledge exchange through ILSMPs Indigenous land and sea management programs (ILSMPs) give Indigenous people the opportunity to work on country to protect ecosystems and cultural heritage. New Hub research has found that opportunities for Indigenous people to exchange knowledge both Indigenous and western-generated through ILSMPs is having a largely positive impact on people’s wellbeing.... The researchers analysed data from interviews with 174 people from four Indigenous communities with ILSMPs in Western Australia and Queensland. Survey participants reported that learning traditional knowledge was an overwhelmingly positive experience. However, when knowledge was shared in ways that were culturally inappropriate, it negatively affected their wellbeing, and also diminished the quality of the knowledge that was exchanged. Improving the protocols around knowledge-sharing between ISLMPs has the potential to both improve wellbeing and the quality of the knowledge exchanged. The research was part of a larger Hub project that assessed the economic and social benefits of ISLMPs, led by Professor Natalie Stoeckl of the University of Tasmania. Their findings will help policy-makers to improve the design of programs to further increase the wellbeing benefits gained from Indigenous land and sea management. Read more bit.ly/3k7lec9 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe National NAIDOC Country Needs People | The Nature Conservancy Australia | Our Mob on Country | Bush Heritage Australia | JCU: James Cook University, Australia | JCU: Discover | Kimberley Land Council | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation | University of Tasmania
08.01.2022 Australia is home to 7% of the world’s mangroves, mostly located in the tropics. During the summer of 2015-6, one of the worst mangrove dieback events ever recorded devastated around 7400 hectares of mangroves along more than 1000 km of Gulf of Carpentaria coastline. The sheer scale of the Gulf of Carpentaria coastline means that regular monitoring is a challenge. Through this project, JCU: James Cook University, Australia's Dr Norm Duke has aerially surveyed 2,633km of Gulf ...coastline and ground-truthed these observations with ranger groups along the Gulf coastline, but ongoing monitoring is critical to understanding mangrove recovery and identifying other unusual dieback events. This project has subsequently produced a field guide for Indigenous rangers to monitor mangrove condition in the Gulf. This guide establishes all the components and equipment settings so that ranger groups along the northern Australian coast can help to improve understanding of large-scale patterns in the Gulf’s important ecosystems. Read more about the guide here bit.ly/3pgwWoE #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe National NAIDOC | NESP TWQ Hub | Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub | Marine Biodiversity Hub | MangroveWatch | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Normanton Rangers | Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation | TropWATER | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Gangalidda & Garawa Rangers
08.01.2022 Fitzroy River groundwater is fundamental to aquatic food webs Each year, monsoonal rains reconnect the channels, wetlands, floodplains and estuaries of the Fitzroy River in the west Kimberley, reinvigorating the flows of energy between the rivers ecosystems. As demands to develop irrigated agriculture in the region increase, understanding how water abstraction may inhibit energy flows and ecosystem health is essential to ensure that the ecological and cultural values of the... Fitzroy River are not diminished. Hub research, led by Dr Leah Beesley of The University of Western Australia, used stable isotopes to trace the flow of energy, in the form of carbon, through the Fitzroys food webs. The study found that during the wet season, algal biofilms were the main source of carbon for fish on the floodplains, but that fish in the river channel during the dry season increasingly relied upon carbon from leaf litter fallen from riparian vegetation, or from phytoplankton. The research shows the importance of ensuring minimal interference with the groundwater upwelling and flows that support algal biofilms and riparian vegetation through the dry season. The study is part of a larger project to understand the environmental water needs of the Fitzroy River, led by Professor Michael Douglas of UWA. Read more about the project here bit.ly/33wqTCu Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia | Environs Kimberley | Kimberley Land Council | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
08.01.2022 We are delighted to share the news that the user-driven approach to research that has proven so successful in the Northern Hub will be continuing and expanding through the the Resilient Landscapes Hub under the next round of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP). As we move towards the transitional phase of the program, we continue our focus on ensuring our existing research ends up in the hands of those people who can use it best, which you can read about in our... latest eNews. Read more https://bit.ly/3mro1hI The University of Western Australia | CSIRO | Charles Darwin University | Griffith University | JCU: James Cook University, Australia | JCU: Discover | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Queensland Environment Department
08.01.2022 Join us for the launch of the Our Knowledge, Our Way Guidelines on Thursday 30 July, 1:00pm AEST. The guidelines are a key Hub research output and the first Indigenous-led best practice guidelines on strengthening and sharing Indigenous knowledge for land and sea management. Register here events.csiro.au/Even//July/10/Our-Knowledge-Our-Way-Launch... Artwork: "Sharing the knowledge for caring for our Land" Emma Burchill 2020.
07.01.2022 Find out more about about a collaborative project that has looked at mammal declines in northern Australia and also identified possible solutions to help halt the loss of these animals in the video below. This research was conducted by Northern Territory Government and Charles Darwin University through the support of the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environments National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub and Northern Hub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDNJ_PfaTgM
07.01.2022 Dr Shaun Levick from CSIRO talking about mapping gamba grass using machine learning and satellite imagery. Read more about this Hub project https://bit.ly/2UUpx0r The University of Western Australia | Charles Darwin University | Bushfires NT | North Australian Fire Information - NAFI | Gamba Grass Roots | NT Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security | Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia | Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife
07.01.2022 Big news for the future of the National Environmental Science Program announced today! We can't wait to see more practical solutions to environmental problems that make a positive difference on the ground
06.01.2022 It’s #NAIDOCWeek and we’re highlighting some of our important collaborative research with Indigenous people across northern Australia. We recently launched the Our Knowledge Our Way Guidelines in caring for #Country. These are #Indigenous-led approaches to strengthening and sharing knowledge for land and sea management. The guidelines were created by 100+ Indigenous contributors, CSIRO, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd and ... Australian Committee for IUCN. #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe National NAIDOC Read more about the guidelines and access copies here bit.ly/2TV4Uki
06.01.2022 Valuing Indigenous cultural connections Ecosystems provide humans with the stuff of life: food, fresh water, clean air and materials for shelter. Healthy ecosystems help protect our communities from storm surges and floods. They are places of inspiration, recreation and spiritual connection. The many and varied ways that ecosystems support and enhance human life are known as ecosystem services. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is developing ...an experimental system to account for ecosystem services. But the metrics and categories used within traditional economic approaches to ecosystem services may have little meaning to Indigenous Australians. Further, traditional economics only accounts for flows of services in a single direction from nature to people as opposed to the reciprocity at the heart of Indigenous cultural perspectives: people look after Country looks after people. In a new Hub project led by Dr Diane Jarvis from JCU: Discover, researchers will collaborate with Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation and the Indigenous Research Committee for Kakadu National Park to investigate how best to acknowledge Indigenous cultural connections within, or alongside, the Australian Governments accounting system. Parks Australia
05.01.2022 How do you restore the site of a uranium mine so it’s similar to a national park? In our third ‘Research for impact’ video, discover how Hub researchers from Charles Darwin University and NT Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, together with the Supervising Scientist, are tackling this challenge at Ranger uranium mine by developing standards for the return of animals to the site. Read more https://bit.ly/32MxKbr ... Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | RIEL - Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods | Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation | Kakadu National Park | Parks Australia
05.01.2022 Congratulations to Professor Stephen van Leeuwen who has been appointed as the Indigenous Chair for Biodiversity and Environmental Science at Curtin University, the first position of its kind in Australia! Professor van Leeuwen has long been a supporter of Commonwealth environmental science programs and has been a champion and driving force for Indigenous engagement through the Northern Australia NESP and NERP Hubs, previously as a member of Hub steering committees and curren...tly as a member of the Northern Australia Hubs Research Executive Committee. His strategic guidance has led to the wide range of projects that are leading the way in conducting scientific research that brings together Indigenous knowledge and western science. Stephen is a committee member of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environments Indigenous Advisory Committee, a member of the Wildlife & Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel and also a member of the South West Australia Marine Parks Advisory Committee.
05.01.2022 National Science Week NT Community Grants are now open!
05.01.2022 Indigenous Australians told Hub researchers that being involved with Indigenous land and sea management programs such as ranger programs and Indigenous Protected Areas played a big role in improving their wellbeing by positively changing factors most important to them. Read more about the project https://www.nespnorthern.edu.au/projects/nesp/multiple-benefits-knowledge-systems-ilmps/ Or read the open-access paper https://www.mdpi.com/602404... Kimberley Land Council | Northern Land Council | Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation | Country Needs People | Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation | Our Mob on Country | Bush Heritage Australia
04.01.2022 Collaborations between northern Hub researchers and a wide range of research partners are critical to the success of our projects. Read about the work of northern Hub researchers from CSIRO, Charles Darwin University, JCU: James Cook University, Australia, The University of Western Australia & researchers from all of the National Environmental Science Program Hubs here bit.ly/3dLSenX
03.01.2022 Remember when we used to be able to get together, face-to-face to share learnings and discuss opportunities? At the mid-March Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers Conference in Cairns, co-hosted by Djabugay Aboriginal Corporations, Bulmba Rangers and the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program, over 150 participants delved into the conference theme More Than A Ranger. Indigenous-led research on Country was a key topic for discussion. The Northern Hub has alw...ays prioritised engagement with Indigenous rangers and there have been many benefits of this. But there is scope to increase the positive impacts of research by re-thinking the roles of rangers. Presenting at the conference, Hub Leader Michael Douglas emphasised the necessity of working side-by-side with Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners to identify research questions, design and conduct research, communicate results, and importantly, put the research into practice. The Northern Hub is a proud sponsor of the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers Conference. Queensland Environment Department
02.01.2022 Wonderful, strong representation from Mirarr and lots of Kakadu locals on this weeks ABC Backroads. What a brilliant showcase of our glorious part of the world!
02.01.2022 Did you know Gulf of Carpentaria coasts are critically important habitat for migratory shorebirds that fly from as far away as Siberia? This collaboration between Indigenous rangers from Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and researchers from Griffith University is showing just how important the Gulf is for these long-distance fliers. The rangers have been making an invaluable contribution to understanding bird numbers and bird types through their on-ground work... in the Gulf of Carpentaria. #NAIDOCWeek National NAIDOC #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Country Needs People Threatened Species Commissioner Queensland Wader Study Group BirdLife Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society Southern Gulf NRM Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
01.01.2022 Remote communities on Cape York Peninsula face heavy loads of marine debris such as ghost nets that wash up on north Queensland beaches. The remoteness of these communities makes it a challenge to deal with this waste and debris which mostly comes from other places. The final instalment of our #ScienceWeek videos! Four others available in this playlist if you havent already seen them. National Science Week | North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd | Tangaroa Blue | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
01.01.2022 Feral pigs on Gulf beaches were predating on the eggs in 100% of marine turtle nests. Hub research is developing technologies to link monitoring with adaptive management responses by APN Cape York (Aak Puul Ngantam) rangers, meaning that more baby turtles are hatching & reaching the waters of the Gulf. CSIRO | National Science Week | Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
