Integrating measures of Indigenous land management effectiveness. Land management is the fastest growing Indigenous employment sector in Australia yet methods for assessing its effectiveness are poorly developed. This project will work with Indigenous land managers and their major environmental service delivery partners to develop and agree on measures of land management effectiveness to meet multiple objectives.
Stable lead isotopes, trace metals and radionuclides in sediments of the Alligator Rivers Region to assess impacts of uranium mining. A PhD student under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of environmental analytical chemists, geochemists and environmental physicists will develop a new sensitive methodology to monitor impacts of past, present and future uranium mining activities in and near Kakadu National Park, although it may be applied to other mining activities as well. The method w ....Stable lead isotopes, trace metals and radionuclides in sediments of the Alligator Rivers Region to assess impacts of uranium mining. A PhD student under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of environmental analytical chemists, geochemists and environmental physicists will develop a new sensitive methodology to monitor impacts of past, present and future uranium mining activities in and near Kakadu National Park, although it may be applied to other mining activities as well. The method will use a combination of stable lead isotopes, trace metals and radionuclide techniques. The outcomes of the research will increase the capacity of the Office of the Supervising Scientist to carry out its core function of assessing and supervising mines in the Alligator Rivers Region.Read moreRead less
Co-designing a resilient water-energy toolbox with Indigenous communities. The aim is to collaboratively create a toolbox of innovative, community-based approaches for water and energy management in remote Australia. This project will combine digital and cultural approaches to create a novel set of tested and evaluated tools for engaging both community and service providers in transforming water and energy use practises in remote Indigenous communities. The key output will be an empirically-test ....Co-designing a resilient water-energy toolbox with Indigenous communities. The aim is to collaboratively create a toolbox of innovative, community-based approaches for water and energy management in remote Australia. This project will combine digital and cultural approaches to create a novel set of tested and evaluated tools for engaging both community and service providers in transforming water and energy use practises in remote Indigenous communities. The key output will be an empirically-tested and user friendly water-energy toolbox tailored to reduce the currently extreme cost of supplying essential services to remote communities. Application of these outputs will significantly reduce demand on local water sources and diesel-generated energy use while creating a skill base for local employment opportunities.Read moreRead less
Indigenous-led Sea Country Management: Protecting Australia's Marine Estate. This project aims to understand and support the aspirations and achievements of Sea Country Traditional Owners in leading the management of their marine and coastal estates. The project expects to generate new approaches to marine management based on Indigenous knowledge and governance systems and reconceptualise marine spatial and conservation planning methodologies. Expected outcomes include solutions to problems face ....Indigenous-led Sea Country Management: Protecting Australia's Marine Estate. This project aims to understand and support the aspirations and achievements of Sea Country Traditional Owners in leading the management of their marine and coastal estates. The project expects to generate new approaches to marine management based on Indigenous knowledge and governance systems and reconceptualise marine spatial and conservation planning methodologies. Expected outcomes include solutions to problems faced by Indigenous and non-Indigenous marine managers working in remote and cross-cultural spaces and supporting governments to implement effective and equitable legal and policy frameworks. This may provide significant cultural, environmental and economic benefits to Traditional Owners, governments and the Australian community.Read moreRead less
Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a ....Bushfire smoke and the relationship between human and landscape health. A team of landscape ecologists, environmental chemists and public health specialists will determine the ecological causes and adverse health effects of different levels of bushfire smoke in Darwin. Darwin is an ideal setting for this research because the only source of air pollution is the high incidence of controlled and uncontrolled bushfires during the dry season causing variable air quality: a preliminary study found a link between smoke pollution levels and asthma. The findings of the proposed research will contribute to improved fire management practices to reduce injurious smoke pollution events and contribute to setting appropriate national air quality standards.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560940
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$229,326.00
Summary
Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility. This application for a Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer Facility provides a focus for research collaboration and training in northern Australia. The Facility will enhance strong collaboration between organisations committed to increasing understanding of unique northern environments, and will include the Arafura Timor Research Facility, a Major National Research Facility. The Facility will contribute to studies of conservation biology, nat ....Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Facility. This application for a Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer Facility provides a focus for research collaboration and training in northern Australia. The Facility will enhance strong collaboration between organisations committed to increasing understanding of unique northern environments, and will include the Arafura Timor Research Facility, a Major National Research Facility. The Facility will contribute to studies of conservation biology, natural resource management, environmental and marine science and resource development in the tropical north. It will help develop knowledge bases, innovative approaches to environmental management and sustainable development and high levels of research and research training for regional development.Read moreRead less
Forecasting fish resilience to environmental change in northern Australia. This project aims to use a traits-based modelling framework, incorporating variability both within and between species, to forecast the resilience of freshwater fishes in northern Australia to impending environmental change. While northern Australian rivers are among the most pristine and productive on earth, they face profound change due to human activity. Emerging evidence suggests that flexibility in functional traits ....Forecasting fish resilience to environmental change in northern Australia. This project aims to use a traits-based modelling framework, incorporating variability both within and between species, to forecast the resilience of freshwater fishes in northern Australia to impending environmental change. While northern Australian rivers are among the most pristine and productive on earth, they face profound change due to human activity. Emerging evidence suggests that flexibility in functional traits (e.g. life history, physiology, behaviour, diet) may result in resilience to environmental change. This project aims to provide decision-makers with essential information and new tools to underpin future planning and resource management.Read moreRead less
Natural resource management and enterprise development: can they improve Indigenous livelihoods? High on the Australian agenda is the removal of disadvantage faced by Indigenous groups and the sustainable use of biodiversity on Indigenous land. In terms of Eastern Indonesia, the Australian agenda relates to poverty eradication, with fewer threats to Australian borders in terms of illegal fishing and migration. This project provides fundamental knowledge on household resource use patterns, and th ....Natural resource management and enterprise development: can they improve Indigenous livelihoods? High on the Australian agenda is the removal of disadvantage faced by Indigenous groups and the sustainable use of biodiversity on Indigenous land. In terms of Eastern Indonesia, the Australian agenda relates to poverty eradication, with fewer threats to Australian borders in terms of illegal fishing and migration. This project provides fundamental knowledge on household resource use patterns, and the constraints and opportunities for natural resource activities, as a step towards identifying ways in which natural resources can be mobilised to improve livelihoods. Read moreRead less
Healing Country: integrating knowledge systems to meet climate challenges. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are currently experiencing severe environmental challenges related to a changing climate. Led by Aboriginal communities, this project aims to integrate traditional knowledges and environmental and health data to create community story-data maps. These interactive, online maps will be a unique and powerful blend of information, providing a rich evidence base, decision-suppo ....Healing Country: integrating knowledge systems to meet climate challenges. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are currently experiencing severe environmental challenges related to a changing climate. Led by Aboriginal communities, this project aims to integrate traditional knowledges and environmental and health data to create community story-data maps. These interactive, online maps will be a unique and powerful blend of information, providing a rich evidence base, decision-support and communication tool to inform the co-design of local climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience plans. The project aims to give agency to Aboriginal communities in leading a systems change process to reduce environmental risks and strengthen health and wellbeing.Read moreRead less
The melioidosis agent Burkholderia pseudomallei in the anthropogenic environment of northern Australia. This project will analyse environmental factors contributing to the persistence of the soil bacterium and melioidosis agent, Burkholderia pseudomallei in the anthropogenic environment. This will increase understanding of the consequences of land use manipulations upon these bacteria and will suggest remediation measures to reduce the risk of exposure.