Project Summary
The Challenge
In the last few years alone, Australia has experienced devastating wildfires, floods, storms, droughts. Not only this, but the fires are burning hotter, the floods are rising higher, storms are becoming more extreme and droughts longer. The impacts of climate change are here and now. The severity of these events are compounded by land management practices that have modified landscapes, cleared remnant vegetation and prevented cultural methods of caring for Country.
Project Vision
The vision for Conservation Futures is to create a place to understand, protect and heal Country (land, water, sky, plants, animals and people) through recognising, safeguarding, and weaving knowledge systems.
THE PROJECT
In order to prepare for a more unstable climate future, Conservation Futures invites people from a variety of sectors, including Traditional Custodians, State and Federal Governments, private landholders, natural resource managers and not-for-profit organisations, to come together and participate in a standardised knowledge system, containing new and existing cultural, biodiversity and conservation data.
This knowledge system can facilitate standardised climate objectives informed by up to date, culturally inclusive information, that can scale between local, regional and national contexts.
Case Studies
Conservation Futures aims to build and demonstrate the benefits of using the knowledge system through a series of case studies. These case studies will highlight the variety of contexts the knowledge system can prove helpful for assisting decision making around complex climate challenges through a combination of cultural knowledge and data modelling.
First Nations Input
Conservation Futures understands the importance of First Nations leadership, and its integral role in building the knowledge system well. We will incorporate First Nations perspectives throughout all levels of Conservation Futures, via partnerships, staff and in an advisory capacity. Conservation Futures will work alongside First Nations communities and subject matter experts, to ensure that cultural knowledge and the future aspirations of First Nations Peoples are represented in a safe, sensitive and meaningful way. Our approach to planning, engagement and protection systems will be underpinned by principles of relationship building, reciprocity and equity. First Nations Peoples have cared for Country since time immemorial and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to generations of knowledge sharing.
Our Collaboration
Conservation Futures is a collaboration across sectors and organisations. Current co-investing partners include: The University of Melbourne; Bush Heritage Australia; the University of Queensland; the Ian Potter Foundation; the Hermon Slade Foundation; CSIRO; the Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP); Natural Resource Management (NRM) Regions Australia, The Nature Conservancy and The Australian Conservation Foundation.
Photos used on this page are courtesy of Gabriella Meek, Dale Fuller & Annette Ruzicka