Get reliable science

Abstract

Sustainable natural resource management (NRM) requires research and planning to be

complemented by strong community engagement and input. This is especially true in

northern Australia where the Indigenous and community level values may not directly

align with national, state or regional NRM objectives or priorities. The Waterways

Education Program (WEP) provides opportunities for enhancing local community

knowledge and participation in NRM, by training Indigenous rangers in remediation

actions and monitoring techniques for rivers and wetlands. The program has increased the

capacity of Indigenous rangers to monitor and manage their water resources as part of a

broader approach to landscape scale conservation and management focusing on the

impacts of weeds, ferals and changing fire regimes. We present two WEP case studies

highlighting the benefits of increasing the capacity of local communities to input and

engage in NRM. This collaborative approach provides a template for future initiatives and

programs, aiming to strengthen community engagement.