Engaging with Indigenous Communities in Natural Resource Management: Advice for Agencies

Ross H¹*, Nursey-Bray M²*

1. School of Natural and Rural Systems Management, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
2. CRC Reef Research, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Engaging government agencies in matters of natural resource management is a core challenge for indigenous coastal communities. Drawing on case studies and experiences of both authors with working on collaborative coastal management programs, this paper reflects on how to broker effective engagement processes.

Insights include that engagement must recognise that the engagement must be mutual, i.e. have shared goals; that Traditional Owners have their own equally legitimate interests; that internal community structures and politics play a role, just as they do within agencies; and that the processes must suit Indigenous decision-making structures and timeframes.

Engagement with indigenous communities must go beyond the superficial, thus management mechanisms must build levels of cross cultural literacy to ensure effective engagement occurs. Crucial to this is the creation of mutual spaces that will allow early resolution of any conflict issues or points of divergence, thus facilitating complementary management programs based on mutual understandings.

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