South Coast NRM WA: The healing power of acknowledgement Kukenarup

Indigenous people have a special connection and relationship with Australia’s natural environments. Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) and its role in Indigenous people caring for their country play an important role in conserving Australia’s biodiversity.

The National Landcare Programme supports and invests in the recording, transfer and use of IEK to ensure that knowledge is not lost with the passing of Elders and knowledge holders, and it can be used properly to provide opportunities for Indigenous people to be fully involved in the protection, rehabilitation and/or restoration of environmental assets, threatened species, ecological communities and migratory species.

Active involvement of Elders is vital to ensure the knowledge is passed on to a younger generation of Indigenous people. There are also the opportunities for employment and partnerships through the two-way transfer of knowledge, improved opportunities for Indigenous peoples and improved outcomes for biodiversity.

The transfer of knowledge needs to be two-way; it is important that Indigenous peoples have access to scientific knowledge and best practice for natural resource management while the recording and use of Indigenous ecological knowledge needs to be in accordance with agreed protocols and with prior approval of the Indigenous custodians of the knowledge.