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Collaboration to build cultural, ecological & economic outcomes
Pre-Conference Workshop A
Tuesday 20th March, 2012
9.00am – 4.00pm
HEALTHY COUNTRY, HEALTHY PEOPLE
Can Aboriginal communities achieve their needs by working with a range of interest groups?
Nowanup is a property in the agricultural south west, purchased with philanthropic funds for its ecological value. For seven years it has been an effective venue for a range of programs and activities achieving significant outcomes for the Noongar community and for cross cultural understanding.
Nowanup is at crossroads, able to move forward as an autonomous Noongar led enterprise, if the right economic underpinning can be found. Participants will examine this real world situation and share lessons learned elsewhere.
We will explore:
- Whether improving cultural, social and ecological outcomes can be an economic activity in its own right
- Fruitful partnerships built by finding who you can work with as you build the program
- Adapting rapidly to changing circumstances and goals, without relying on government
- The mix of funding streams that can secure land and provide employment
- Whether we can sidestep the complexities and delays of Native Title claims which hold back economic and community development
About your workshop leader:
Gondwana Link
Keith Bradby is Founding Director of Gondwana Link, an ecological program focused on achieving healthy country across 1000kms of Australia’s south west. Keith started as a community based activist and has since held a number of senior roles in Government and the private sector. He co-wrote and narrated the SBS documentary ‘A Million Acres a Year’.
Gondwana Link
Eugene Eades has travelled the long road from middle weight boxer to community leader. He has been central to the Nowanup program since its early days in 2004. ‘Every year Eugene has hosted visits and forums with over 2,000 community members’, from victims of the stolen generation to corporate leaders, in activities that heal the chasms in our society.
Economic development using Indigenous carbon farming
Post-Conference Workshop B
Friday 23rd March, 2012
9.00am – 4.00pm
A new carbon industry being developed on Indigenous owned lands presents many challenges, pitfalls and potential benefits.
The Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) allows exclusive and non-exclusive Native Title holders to participate in carbon farming. However, producing carbon credits and establishing a credible system of Indigenous co-benefits requires not only land and people, but investment from corporate and mainstream Australia.
This workshop is designed to provide an overview of the new carbon farming industry and give a realistic understanding of how Traditional Owners can become involved with minimum risk to themselves and investors.
We will explore:
- Welcome and introductions
- Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI): A new industry
- Carbon sequestration, abatement and co-benefits – what are they?
- Who, how and why invest in Indigenous carbon markets
- How do Traditional Owners engage in carbon farming?
- What employment, cultural and economic benefits can be achieved
- Summary
About your workshop leader:
Aboriginal Carbon Fund
Rowan Foley comes from the Wondunna clan of the Badtjala people Traditional Owners of Fraser Island and Hervey Bay in Queensland.
Rowan is the General Manager of the Aboriginal Carbon Fund (not-for-profit Company), chair of the National Indigenous Climate Change Steering Committee, Territory Natural Resource Management (TNRM) Board member and member of the RIRDC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee. Rowan is studying part-time a Masters of Environmental Law at the Australian National University.
Rowan is a ranger by trade first arriving in the Northern Territory to work at Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park in 1989 shortly after ‘hand back’. Approximately 16 years later he became the Park Manager introducing the summer seasonal closure of the climb and the $21 million Talinguru Nyakunytjaku visitor development to create new business opportunities for the Traditional Owners and the tourism industry.
In 1995 Rowan went to work for the Kimberley Land Council as their first Land Management Officer and established their Land and Sea Management Unit in 1998. He was instrumental in the development of the Paraku (Lake Gregory) Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).
Moving back to Queensland he worked for the North Queensland Land Council negotiating the Mamu Heads of Agreement to construct the $10 million Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway in the Wet Tropics and the development of the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan.
Rowan has consistently played a leadership role in Aboriginal land and sea management, and more recently climate change and carbon farming, to ensure Traditional Owners benefit from the sustainable use of their country.
