National workshop

Indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation

1415 November 2012 Echuca, Victoria

Climate change poses a serious risk to everyone, including us as Aboriginal people. But to date not enough has been done to understand the impact of climate change on us and how we might adapt to climate change in order to preserve our culture, heritage and traditional way of life. As we look for inspiration to tackle the climate challenge we discover it needs to originate from Indigenous people for Indigenous people. As our Elders state, looking back, moving forward, and we do this through integrating Indigenous and Western knowledge.
1415 November 2012 Port of Echuca Motel & Conference Centre Echuca, Victoria This workshop will examine how Indigenous knowledge can contribute to improved climate change adaptation for Indigenous communities and the Australian community in general, through ongoing protection of Cultural Heritage, promotion of healthy ecosystems and community empowerment. The workshop will bring together Indigenous leaders from around the country with researchers and international experts to share knowledge and experience and to discuss where we are now, and what still needs to be done to maximise the potential use of Indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation. Topics covered include: Community archives of Indigenous knowledge

Gaka Yawell Ngulla Yenbena Yorta Yorta Woka Come Walk With Us On Yorta Yorta Country

Indigenous knowledge ownership and confidentiality Information & products derived from Indigenous knowledge to support adaptation decisions Closing generational rifts through knowledge exchange methods Research developed, investigated, owned and controlled by Indigenous people for Indigenous people
Supported by:

Workshop Program
Tuesday 13 November 2012
4:008:30 Registration at the Port of Echuca Motel

7:008:30

Informal welcome reception at the Port of Echuca Motel

Day 1: Wednesday 14 November 2012

7:008:45 8:309:00 Breakfast (for Port of Echuca guests) Registration Tea & coffee on arrival

9:0010:30

Session 1: Welcome and scene-setting

Chair: Lee Joachim Rapporteur: Zac Bischoff-Mattson Welcome to Country Colin Walker Opening address Denise Morgan-Bulled & Rochelle Patten Starting the conversation Kate Auty (Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability) Aims and objectives of the workshop Lee Joachim and Dave Griggs

10:3011:00

Morning Tea

11:0012:30 Session 2: Indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation Overview of how Indigenous knowledge can contribute to improved climate change adaptation for Indigenous communities and the Australian community in general
Chair: Tom Day [TBC] Rapporteur: Carolina Adler 11:0011:15 11:1511:25 11:2511:40 11:4012:30 12:301:30 What is climate change and adaptation Dave Griggs (Monash University) & Rowan Foley (Aboriginal Carbon Fund) Climate change adaptation and Indigenous people in Samoa Leota Pepe Pai (Sili Community, Samoa) National Cultural Flows Research Project Alistair Webster (National Native Title Council) Group discussion Lunch

1:303:00

Session 3: Building a community archive of Indigenous knowledge What methods and tools can Indigenous communities use to collect traditional knowledge as a basis for climate change adaptation?
Chair: Rowan Foley Rapporteur: Jan Muir

1:301:40 1:401:50 1:502:00 2:003:00

I-Tracker Program Erica McCreedy (North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd) NT Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Program Nikki Brannigan (Central Land Council) Girringun cultural heritage mapping, environmental planning & GIS Phil Rist (Girringun Aboriginal Corporation) Group discussion

Day 1: Wednesday 14 November 2012 Continued.

3:003:15 3:153:45 Afternoon Tea Bus to the Dharnya Centre in Barmah to be joined by the Yorta Yorta community

3:455:00

Session 4: Research by Indigenous people for Indigenous people How can Indigenous people develop their own research agenda by initiating, developing, undertaking, controlling and owning the research?
Chair: Sonia Cooper Rapporteur: Zac Bischoff-Mattson

3:453:55 3:554:05 3:554:05 4:055:00

Learning for Indigenous knowledge in the Barmah-Millewa Jackie Walker and Ebony Joachim (YYNAC) A geographical information system (GIS) for the Yorta Yorta Pan Wang (Monash University) Turtle tracking in the Barmah-Millewa Leah Beesley and Katie Howard (Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment) Group discussion

5:006:00 6:008:30

Guided walk in the Barmah Forest around the Dharnya Centre Workshop dinner & cultural presentation Dharnya Centre

Day 2: Thursday, 15 November 2012

7:008:45 Breakfast (for Port of Echuca guests) Checkout for Port of Echuca guests leaving at the end of the workshop

9:0010:30

Session 5: Ensuring Indigenous knowledge ownership and confidentiality What levels and types of protection need to be instituted to allow for appropriate Indigenous knowledge to be shared with and benefit the wider community?
Chair: Kate Auty Rapporteur: Louise Kyle Anne Sheehan Mark Harris Group discussion

10:3011:00

Morning Tea

11:0012:30 Session 6: Indigenous natural resource management How can Indigenous communities participate in managing natural resources on their traditional lands?
Chair: Amanda Lynch Rapporteur: Eleanor Sobey 11:0011:20 Hawaii Restoration Conservation Initiative & Kohala Watershed Partnership Chris Heider (Watershed Professionals Network, USA), Matt Hamabata (Kohala Center, Hawaii, USA) and Kekuhi Kealiikanakaoleohaililani (Edith Kanakaole Foundation & University of Hawaii, USA) Kowanyama NRM programs Viv Sinnamon (Kowanyama Lands Office) Gunditj Mirring work on Mt Eccles/Lake Condah Tom Day (Gunditj Mirring) Group discussion Lunch

11:2011:30 11:3011:40 11:4012:30 12:301:30

Day 2: Thursday, 15 November 2012 Continued.

1:303:00 Session 7: Aboriginal participation in adaptation-related decision making How can Indigenous communities participate in larger-scale adaptation and natural resource management decision and policy processes affecting their communities and traditional lands?
Chair: Rueben Berg Rapporteur: Sonia Cooper & Zac Bischoff-Mattson 1:301:55 1:552:15 Stakeholder viewpoints of Indigenous participation in decision making in the MDB Carolina Adler (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) and Amanda Lynch (Brown University, USA) How to engage with government and use Indigenous knowledge for better policy outcomes Ximena Traa-Valarezo (World Bank) Indigenous engagement at the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Jeremy Dore (DCCEE) Group discussion Afternoon Tea

2:152:30 2:303:00 3:003:30

3:304:30

Session 8: Closing Plenary

Chair: Dave Griggs Rapporteurs: Carolina Adler & Zac Bischoff-Mattson

3:304:00

Panel discussion: How can we strengthen the contribution of Indigenous knowledge to improved climate change adaptation for Indigenous communities and the Australian community in general? Workshop recommendations & next steps Closing Close Bus from Echuca to Melbourne via Melbourne Airport

4:004:20 4:204:30 4:30 5:00