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Core Project 1: Livelihoods inLand™

The DKCRC’s Livelihoods inLand™ research project DSC012522has been underway since 2006, building on earlier DKCRC projects such as Desert Fire, DustWatch, Anmatyerr Cultural Values of Waterand biodiversity management incentives on Aboriginal lands. The research focuses on ways in which natural and cultural resource management can improve sustainable livelihoods for desert people. ‘Sustainable livelihoods’ are those that provide a living and support the health and wellbeing of people and communities.

Desert people want recognition for the role they play in looking after country, and more effective, longer-term allocations of resources for this work. They want livelihoods that motivate young people, provide income, recognise local and cultural priorities and build on their existing skills and aptitudes. Desert people’s engagement in natural and cultural resource management offers these local benefits and is an important pathway for sustaining ecosystem and cultural services that are critical to the resilience of Australia’s remotest regions.

Livelihoods inLand™ examines the opportunities for Aboriginal people living in remote locations to manage natural and cultural assets on behalf of Australians and create a livelihood around this activity.

Project outcomes

  • Systems for the engagement of people to deliver management of desert natural and cultural resources.
  • Develop guidelines for implementing these systems in local places with a focus on planning and evaluation.
  • Aboriginal people paid for their management activity based on appropriate valuation of the service they deliver to Australia.
  • Better natural and cultural resource management because of more appropriately skilled workers.

Project components

The project’s research activities include:

    Project leader and partners

    Jocelyn Davies is a project leader for the DKCRC. Jocelyn manages a team of researchers, many of them based in Alice Springs, who are working on varied project activities to improve livelihoods inland.

    Partners engaged in the project are:

    • Alice Springs Desert Park
    • Australian Government’s Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
    • Australian National University
    • Central Land Council
    • Charles Darwin University
    • Centre for Remote Health (Flinders and Charles Darwin universities)
    • CSIRO
    • Griffith University
    • Lajamanu Community
    • Northern Territory Government
    • Warlpiri Media Association

    Documents

    Indigenous ESP Forum Outcomes Report.pdf
    Report of a forum involving Wentworth Group scientists, at CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre (TERC) Berrimah, Darwin, Northern Territory Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 November 2007 [pdf 1.4 Mb]


    The culture of conservation: valuing Aboriginal land management in arid Australia’s protected areas
    Walker J ND, The culture of conservation: valuing Aboriginal land management in arid Australia’s protected areas, DKCRC Poster, Desert Knowledge CRC, Alice Springs. [pdf 1.9 Mb]


    Core Project Leader

    Dr Jocelyn Davies
    Core Project Leader DK-CRC and Senior Research Scientist CSIRO
    DK-CRC and CSIRO
    Tel: 08 8950 7152

    Mobile: 0419 857 561
    Fax: 08 8950 7187

    PO Box 3971
    Alice Springs, NT 0871 871Australia


    Lead Agency


    CSIRO


    Other partners


    Anmatjere Community Government Coucil



    Central Land Council



    Charles Darwin University



    Flinders University (Centre for Remote Health)



    Northern Territory Government


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