Addressing Kakadu’s strategic research needs
Project 3.19
The challenge:
Kakadu National Park is owned by both the Bininj and Mungguy peoples. It is jointly managed by both Traditional Owner groups in collaboration with Parks Australia.
The Park features diverse landscapes, high biodiversity, and endemic species. It also has great cultural values associated with over 50,000-years of habitation, including extensive networks of rock art sites up to 20,000 years old.
To continually improve the care and management of this unique, valuable place, lots of information and targeted scientific monitoring is needed. The Kakadu Indigenous Research Committee is building this information-base from a number of collaborative research projects, under guidance of the Kakadu Research and Management Advisory Committee.
NESP Resilient Landscapes Hub is supporting these Kakadu managers and researchers to develop comprehensive strategies for future science that aligns with their management goals.
NESP Project 3.19 will focus, specifically, on the collaborative identification of marine and coastal issues that require better understanding, and then develop an appropriate research strategy to address these.
Our approach:
The project will collaboratively identify research needs and develop an associated marine and coastal research strategy by:
- systematically compiling and analysing existing information;
- considering both Traditional Knowledge and newer science;
- identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities;
- considering both culture and environment;
- updating research protocols;
- co-designing research projects to address short and longer-term priorities; and
- drafting the research strategy.
Expected outcomes:
Identified and supported implementation of strategic best-practice research.
A strategy for the right research to meet Indigenous communities’ economic and cultural needs.
A best-practice approach to research planning and design.