Communicating research findings in a way that is useful, dynamic and accessible can be a challenge. The Mitchell River catchment in far north Queensland has been the focus of environmental research for decades because of the important environmental, cultural and economic values of the catchment, and the potential for development of the river’s water resources. However, past research is not always readily available to people who might need it for decision-making, such as Traditional Owners, land managers and other existing water users.
The Mitchell River story map presents findings from our projects Environmental water needs for the Mitchell River, Links between Gulf rivers and coastal productivity, Links between Gulf rivers and food for migratory shorebirds, and Environmental-economic accounting for the Mitchell River in a user-friendly form for everyone, including decision-makers at state and federal levels.
| Environmental water needs of the Mitchell River StoryMap |
Credit: Chantal Saint Ange.
This Story Map is a collaboration between researchers with the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) and the Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group (MRTCAG) to tell the stories of recent scientific research and how they fit with the traditional cultural knowledge of Gugu Yalanji seasons. The Mitchell River Traditional Custodian Advisory Group represents the Country and clans of the upper and middle catchment including Western Gugu Yalanji, Mbabaram, Wokomin and Kuku Djungan. We pay our deepest respects to the Kokoberra, Yir Yoront (or Kokomnjen) and Kunjen clans who are the Traditional Custodians at the lower catchment.
To understand the power and the value of traditional knowledge to western science, Western Gugu Yalanji have shared the cultural knowledge in relation to their five seasons of the headwaters and upper catchment to show the importance and value of science embedding cultural knowledge hypotheses and perspectives into research findings and publications.
This project was led by Dr Ben Stewart-Koster from Griffith University.
Contact
Ben Stewart-Koster, Griffith University
b.stewart-koster@griffith.edu.au
