Dept of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water
Indigenous Wisdom, Science Unite for E-Water Delivery
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) is working with First Nations people to learn how their knowledge can help manage environmental water.
Our science program (Flow-MER) studies how environmental water helps the Murray Darling Basin’s:
“We’re talking with First Nations communities to learn how they want their knowledge included in the Flow-MER program,” said Dr Simon Banks, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
“This is important for making better decisions about how we use water for the environment.”
First Nations knowledge can help us care for rivers and Country in new and meaningful ways. It is also key to helping achieve cultural outcomes.
“A cultural outcome is something that is of cultural importance to First Nations people which affects how water is used,” explained Dr Phil Duncan, the lead for Cultural Outcomes in Flow-MER.
“Each community has different cultural priorities. Some may overlap with environmental outcomes, but they are separate and should be considered on their own.”
For example, delivering water for the environment can help the native plant lignum grow. Lignum is used for weaving baskets and has cultural importance.
“Protecting lignum matters for both people and Country,” Dr Duncan said. “This protects a healthy country for future generations and informs environmental water planning.”
“In addition to identifying cultural outcomes, First Nations people are helping to make these positive outcomes a reality,” Dr Banks said.
“For example, monitoring the health of these aquatic plants helps ensure a positive cultural and environmental result.”
Plants and animals that are culturally important provide food, medicine and resources. They hold deep meaning and are part of people’s health, identity and wellbeing.
Flow-MER projects will continue to explore how environmental water can help culturally important plants and animals across the Murray-Darling Basin.
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/cewh/resources-media/news/indigenous-knowledge-science-weaved-e-water-delivery