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https://theconversation.com/healthy-country-healthy-people-how-shared-knowledge-is-helping-to-restore-a-world-heritage-area-235776>
"Our journey began in 2018 at Bush Heritage Australia’s Hamelin Station, a
relaxed setting on Malgana Country for knowledge sharing and storytelling. An
inspirational weekend under the stars sowed the seeds for a partnership to heal
Country. Our focus was on restoring seagrass, which grows in extensive meadows
in shallow waters.
In 2010-11, an extreme marine heatwave had hit the Western Australian
coastline. The seagrass (wirriya jalyanu) was badly damaged. This affected the
health of culturally significant species such as dugongs (
Dugong dugon,
wuthuga) and green turtles (
Chelonia mydas, buyungurra), which feed on the
seagrass.
On that weekend in 2018, we (university researchers and Traditional Owners)
learned we had a common goal: to look after Sea Country. Ecosystem restoration
and biodiversity conservation are Western “science speak” and are part of a
global solution to manage the impacts of climate change. These concepts are
also at the core of Indigenous culture and lore.
Our co-designed project won funding to employ Malgana land and sea rangers in
Gathaagudu/Shark Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage area. The project was a
partnership between the newly founded Malgana Aboriginal Corporation and
University of Western Australia researchers. The aim was to develop and test
ways to restore seagrass meadows, drawing on both Western science and
Indigenous knowledge.
Our new research paper describes how this partnership succeeded."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
