Keywords: Kakadu, KNP, national park, Kakadu National Park, Indigenous rangers, Indigenous Natural Resource management, Indigenous NRM, ICNRM, Indigenous cultural and natural resource management, Bininj and Mungguy, Bininj/Mungguy, Bininj Mungguy, Traditional Owners, living cultural landscape, Indigenous land and sea management programs, Worl Heritage, World Heritage site, traditional resources, Parks Australia, Indigenous ecological knowledge, Park Management, Northern Territory
Kakadu National Park is a living cultural landscape internationally recognised for its outstanding natural and cultural values. The World Heritage listed park boasts an incredible array of interconnected ecosystems and rich biodiversity and to this day continues to support traditional resources for Indigenous people.
These significant values are, however, under pressure from a range of threats including weeds, feral animals, changed fire patterns and rising sea levels. Traditional Owners (Bininj and Mungguy) have a widely recognised role in environmental management in the park. Since the park was declared, it has been jointly managed by Bininj/Mungguy and Parks Australia. While this management structure facilitates shared decision making and prioritises an exchange in knowledge, skills and information, there is room to bring the interests of Kakadu’s Traditional Owners, park managers and the public into closer alignment.
NESP researchers have built on long-term collaborations with Bininj Traditional Owners to develop and apply Bininj indicators of cultural-ecosystem health for the floodplains. These indicators are being used to identify priority areas for targeted para grass control and monitor the effectiveness of treatments.
Kakadu NESP Team Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion finalists.
NESP researchers have built on long-term collaborations with Bininj/Mungguy Traditional Owners to develop and apply Bininj/Mungguy indicators of cultural-ecosystem health for the floodplains. These indicators are being used to identify priority areas for targeted para grass control and monitor the effectiveness of treatments.
