Central Land Council

Rose Report One

Concluding discussion

Aboriginal land is subject to a variety of land uses and each of these uses occurs within an environmental, economic, social and political context. Aboriginal land management in central Australia is influenced by the natural environment and a range of factors from within Aboriginal society and from the broader Australian community. The management of Aboriginal lands is a complex issue. From a physical perspective the enormous land area and remoteness of many locations present particular challenges. Large areas of land have escaped many of the impacts of introduced land uses and retain ecosystems which are relatively unmodified compared to much of the rest of the continent.

Some changes to this natural system are occurring as evidenced by the high rate of extinction amongst mammal species and changes to vegetation composition. Western land managers identify a number of causes for these changes and suggest that opportunities remain for stabilising and maintaining natural resources while continuing a range of productive economic uses. Aboriginal land is subject to multiple land uses.

These land uses may compete for resources, function at a range of different scales and derive from widely divergent value systems. For example pastoralism tends to use extensive areas of land over which stock can deplete bush foods and compete with other (native and introduced) animals for food resources. To achieve an optimal outcome a balance has to be maintained between community aspirations for pastoral activities and the desire to be able to hunt and collect bush foods. The pastoral ethos must be able to coincide with traditional cultural activities over the same areas of land. The challenge is to put in place systems of management which can function in this complex environment and which meet a number of basic criteria. These basic criteria include sustainability, Aboriginal management and control and optimal economic, social and cultural benefits.

The immediate barriers to implementing land management which meet these criteria are: a lack of appropriate land management programs and services a lack of coordination of existing land management programs and services, the lack of availability of appropriate information for Aboriginal land managers, the lack of an appropriate Aboriginal driven land use planning process and an immediate need for information exchange between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal land managers at all levels. Aboriginal people need access to programs and services which are appropriate for their needs and responsive to their concerns. The services provided by mainstream government and industry are needed by Aboriginal groups but are often not attuned to the special needs of Aboriginal landowners. Coordination of existing programs and services is essential.

The range of organisations and bodies which deal in some form with the administration or provision of services to Aboriginal land provide, at best, a disjointed approach to environmental management associated with development. Resources for the development of housing and other projects are provided by a range of organisations. Such developments bring with them a suite of environmental problems which require later remedial action. Without some form of service coordination and a commitment to addressing environmental issues in the planning stage this situation is unlikely to change. Aboriginal organisations should be resourced to take on this role in a regional approach which maintains accountability.

Aboriginal land use planning is restricted by a lack of appropriate land resource information. Very little information on land systems and land capability is available for Aboriginal lands. Aboriginal land users have lacked the resources to access or generate land resource information that is appropriate for their needs. At the same time governments have placed significant emphasis on providing this information as a basis for land use planning on agricultural and pastoral land. The Central Land Council has recently undertaken a Land Assessment project which focuses on Aboriginal land information needs. The key feature of the this project is the combination of technical and Aboriginal information which is produced for landholders. Land resource information must be prepared in such a way that it incorporates Aboriginal aspirations, perceptions and concerns. To provide land resource information in appropriate forms it is necessary to have an understanding of the way Aboriginal people categorise their landscape and how this might differ or overlap with technical land classifications.

With access to appropriate information and support Aboriginal landowners will be in a position to implement a sustainable land use planning process. Such a process would integrate the funding resources available for a range of development processes occurring on Aboriginal lands with appropriate information to ensure that informed decisions are made about future land use options. While this sounds like a very formal process it may in fact be as simple as providing people with access to appropriate forms of information to enable community based planning. In other cases active facilitation of the planning process could be provided during the development phase.

However, it is vital that all of these processes remain ultimately responsible to Aboriginal landholders so they remain in control. The basis of all of these activities is effective information exchange. Such information exchange must be based on the real needs of Aboriginal landowners and not solely be driven by the information needs as perceived by non-Aboriginal service providers. Effective information exchange must be driven by Aboriginal people to ensure its relevance to their situation.

Aboriginal Pastoralism

To operate within the environmental constraints posed by the highly variable climate of central Australia, land management programs must have either a high level of flexibility and management control to be able to react to climatic conditions, or be based on low risk management strategies which are less sensitive to environmental conditions. Traditional Aboriginal land use systems have evolved under the influence of the highly variable and often harsh climate of the centre. Contemporary management practices must be similarly responsive to environmental conditions if they are to be sustainable and to avoid degrading land resources.

Extensive land uses such as pastoralism therefore have a choice between highly organised management which attempts to maximise resource usage within environmental parameters, or low risk strategies which minimise the likelihood of degradation during drought and reduce the need for reactive management in poor conditions. There are many differences between these two strategies in terms of the economic outcomes of an enterprise, the potential environmental impact and the levels of management and labour input required. For many Aboriginal properties low risk strategies may provide a better range of outcomes than intensively managed, market oriented projects. The management of Aboriginal pastoral projects has relied heavily on the objectives and methods of traditional European cattle stations. In many cases the Aboriginal aspirations for these projects have not been known or sought. Insufficient consideration has been given to identifying or incorporating Aboriginal desires for the use of their land in the development of Aboriginal cattle projects. This is further compounded by the fact that funding for pastoral projects has been tied to European cattle management models.

This has occurred partly because acquired properties have had to adhere to covenants requiring the maintenance of a minimum level of stock and infrastructure. It has also occurred because it has been assumed that the Aboriginal people associated with that land will gain most benefit from their land ownership through continued pastoral land use. As a consequence support for these properties further reinforces the European pastoral management model, emphasising the goal that the property should be economically viable.

There are a number of differences between Aboriginal pastoral ventures and typical non-Aboriginal properties. The number of people supported by an Aboriginal enterprise is usually much greater than on an equivalent European lease. Properties are often marginal economic ventures, this feature having forced the previous lessee to sell them in the first place. In many cases the former management left a legacy of degraded land as they were forced to overstock in an attempt to maintain the solvency of the enterprise.

It is therefore necessary that appropriate pastoral management strategies be developed for these areas which focus not only on economic gains but also emphasise the social and cultural benefits of such projects. Fundamental to such an approach is the development of ecologically sustainable management practices. Currently there is little information to identify what level of grazing pressure is compatible with the maintenance of other values in the landscape. Because of this lack of knowledge, pastoral management should be conservative and incorporate where possible traditional management techniques such as fire management. The scale and objectives of pastoral enterprises dictate the level of environmental risk and the associated level of management input required. Projects of an appropriate scale reduce the need for over-utilisation of the land.

Accurate information about the carrying capacity and erosion potential is required to ensure that project objectives are realistic given environmental constraints. There is great potential for the integration of pastoral projects at an appropriate scale with a range of alternative land use ventures such as culturally based tourism, harvesting of bush resources and managing land for conservation purposes. Monitoring of range condition is also essential to avoid the problems of land degradation on pastoral properties. Management decisions must be based on knowledge of the condition of the land and the effects of changing management practices. While much of this information is available to the experienced pastoral manager there is considerable benefit to be gained from instituting monitoring programs to guide management decisions. For the long term success of such projects it is also important that control remains clearly with the Aboriginal landowners so that decisions will reflect community priorities. In the past many larger projects have distanced landowners from management decisions through the employment of specialist managers. The rationale for this was that Aboriginal landowners were not seen as having the necessary skills to manage the project and meet funding bodies requirements for financial accountability and project management. In these situations the level of consultation between management and the community is often poor and as a result difficulties often arise. These difficulties indicate that the scale of Aboriginal pastoral projects should be based on the level of management input desired by project proponents.

The Aboriginal land rights legislation gives traditional owners rights over their land which are clearly defined. This same security is not provided to individuals and families who are not traditional owners but who may want to develop projects such as cattle enterprises for economic or other reasons. Presently the rights of non-traditional owner groups to use the land are negotiated with traditional owners and can be a source of conflict. Similarly traditional owners rights may not be clearly defined or protected in such agreements. The use of formal agreements such as leases or grazing licences is advised in such arrangements to set out the rights and obligations of traditional owners and land users involved.

Conservation and protected areas

Large areas of Aboriginal land remain relatively free of environmental disturbance and are considered to be of fundamental importance to the conservation of many endangered species. This has come about partly because more extensive land uses, such as pastoralism, have been introduced to much of the rest of the Northern Territory. It is also the result of these areas remaining exposed to traditional management practices until relatively recently. There are a number of processes which are currently threatening the conservation values of Aboriginal land including widespread feral animal and weed problems which are in urgent need of attention. Changes to the fire management regime are also seen as a threat to Aboriginal lands because of the effects this has on the composition of the vegetation and consequent impacts on wildlife species. Endangered species are seen as particularly vulnerable to these changes.

When combined with predation from introduced animals, current efforts to reintroduce some of these species face significant obstacles. Other threatening processes include land use pressure from a range of land uses notably pastoralism, expansion of the tourism industry and the increasing impact of mining and mining exploration activities on Aboriginal land. Aboriginal people have a vital role to play in addressing these issues and are currently involved in a number of programs which have clear conservation outcomes. Examples are weed control in the Finke river system and revegetation and protection of community living areas. It is also important that traditional management of Aboriginal lands is continued and encouraged. In some cases this may require that resources be made available to extend this management into remote areas. Aboriginal people also need to be assured that the value of their traditional practices is recognised by the wider society.

Traditional land management activities provide opportunities for employment and will have a vital role to play in future conservation management. Management bodies responsible for parks and conservation areas are increasingly looking to implement activities based on or allied to traditional Aboriginal practices. Some efforts have also been made to learn about Aboriginal knowledge of the natural environment and understanding of natural systems to improve conservation management practices. Despite these examples the management of many protected areas in the Northern Territory does not take Aboriginal interests into account.

Joint management of parks and protected areas must recognise that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal priorities for management will differ. Aboriginal priorities in management need to be understood and agreements for joint management should reflect a balance between different cultural perspectives. Where management priorities conflict there is a need for two way education and information exchange to clarify and resolve the issues involved.

Tourism

Aboriginal culture forms a large part of the focus for tourist visits to the Northern Territory and Aboriginal involvement with the tourism industry is growing. This has brought a number of possible benefits for Aboriginal people such as employment and the opportunity for economic gain. There are also a number of negative impacts arising from Aboriginal involvement with tourism. Increased demand for Aboriginal artefacts has already placed increased pressure on resources from community and outstation environments. There are also a number of social and cultural impacts providing both costs and benefits to Aboriginal communities. It is important that Aboriginal people retain the ability to make decisions about the level of their involvement, and that there is clear information available to make informed decisions about participation in the tourism industry.

Mining

Aboriginal land is increasingly subject to mining exploration licences and agreements. Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory retain the right of veto over mining on their land, however, it is likely that mining will go ahead where deposits are located and communities are aware of the monetary benefits they may accrue. At the same time the long term effects of mining activities on the landscape and other effects such as the leakage of mine site chemicals and leachates may pose significant problems. It is important that Aboriginal people have an overview of the effects of mining operations to make decisions about the long term impacts of mining on their country.

Aboriginal people must be given all of the available information on the effects of mining to ensure that they are able to make informed decisions about developments on their land. Community living areas Land use pressure within communities often leads to vegetation loss and dust problems. Significant improvements to the community environment can be made through tree planting and revegetation work together with measures to restrict the movement of vehicles throughout the community. However, the need to apply remedial measures such as these could be minimised if consideration was given to environmental and social issues during the planning phases of community and outstation development. The value of bush resources at outstations and at larger communities is not widely recognised. Bush resources are seen as incidental to many land management resource programs and there has been little attempt to manage or improve access to them. As a range of land uses are centred on the community living area, land use decisions must often reconcile a number of different needs and interests. There is a need for research into the development of a planning process which can adequately deal with these concerns.

Programs and resources for land management

The fragmentation and complexity of the array of programs and services available to Aboriginal people is an important factor limiting their effective implementation. It would clearly be desirable for complimentary programs to be coordinated and simplified at the levels of administration, management and implementation and this should be made a priority. However, a key factor in the link between communities and these services is the capacity of the community to access and use the available support.

Many communities do not have this capacity at the moment and will not benefit to the level they should from any efforts at simplification or coordination of programs. They need to be given increased capacity to access existing programs and where necessary to re-design them to better suit their needs. This community capacity building involves widespread information transfer and resourcing Aboriginal organisations and agencies to access and coordinate programs for themselves. Aboriginal land uses and values can differ from those of the mainstream. Land degradation on Aboriginal land includes factors which are of peripheral concern to mainstream land management programs.

Aboriginal land management issues will not be adequately addressed until Aboriginal values and concerns are incorporated into land management programs. Aboriginal land councils and resource organisations are in the best position to identify the requirements of their constituents while clearly supporting and encouraging an agenda based on Aboriginal rights to cultural and economic development. These groups should be seen as an essential link for directing government resources aimed at addressing Aboriginal land management problems. It is important that decisions about the use of these resources are made by Aboriginal groups. Aboriginal access to funding from mainstream programs is limited by a number of factors including the relative availability of information about programs, and requirements such as the level of applicant contributions. There is a need for education and information exchange to make Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people aware of the issues associated with Aboriginal land management. Land management departments and agencies need to be made aware of the needs of Aboriginal people and conversely Aboriginal people need access to information on land degradation and sound land management practices. Aboriginal resource centres are also a focal point for identifying Aboriginal needs and distributing resources available to meet those needs. As such Aboriginal resource centres should play a fundamental role in shaping future service and information provision programs for Aboriginal people. ATSIC programs which can be applied to land management issues are in a position to have a significant impact across Aboriginal lands.

ATSIC funding for development should include a component for environmental planning to ensure that the community or outstation environment is not overlooked in the development process. At present despite the development of and Environment Policy by ATSIC there is little evidence of commitment to addressing environmental issues. There is increasing attention to Aboriginal landcare issues through a number of forums including the National Landcare Advisory Committee. A proposal for National Landcare Program to fund a number of Aboriginal Landcare Facilitator positions has been put forward by this committee to resource Aboriginal organisations in developing landcare activities. Other positive initiatives include the development of a Land Assessment project for Aboriginal landowners in central Australia funded by the National Landcare Program. Landowners work with scientists to map their land resources and identify their aspirations for resource use. This information will form the basis for sustainable land use planning. Aboriginal organisations are beginning to make use of a wide variety of mainstream and specialist programs to support their land management aspirations. With greater efforts at information exchange and understanding it is hoped that these links will grow.

Further reports in the Cross Cultural Land Management Project The second and third reports in this series will examine the vital link between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal aspirations and perceptions and the implications for information exchange about land management issues.