Aboriginal values

Climate change
Climate change
Aboriginal values
Aboriginal values
Forest ecosystem
Forest ecosystem
Conservation
Conservation
Socioeconomic
Socioeconomic
Accountability
Accountability

Forests provide critical connections to country for Aboriginal people. There are a diverse range of Aboriginal values, rights and interests in forests including tangible and intangible heritage, ongoing cultural and ecological uses and practices, forest management and ownership, cultural enterprises, as well as a number of mutual health and well-being benefits.

Aboriginal values are presented as a distinct theme for the purposes of this plan. However, Aboriginal people connect spiritually, culturally and economically as represented in other themes in this plan.

Priority RFA information

Reporting on the socioeconomic environment associated with the forest estate, including Aboriginal-led, Country-based assessment, monitoring, and research.

Sustainability Indicators

Inform measures and reporting on performance in relation to the following Sustainability Indicators:

Criterion 6: Maintenance and enhancement of long-term multiple socio-economic benefits to meet the needs of societies

6.4 Cultural, social and spiritual needs and values

  • 6.4a Area of forest to which Indigenous people have use and rights that protect their special values and are recognised through formal and informal management regimes
  • 6.4c The extent to which Indigenous values are protected, maintained and enhanced through Indigenous participation in forest management

6.5 Employment and community needs

  • 6.5a Direct and indirect employment in the forest sector

Criterion 7: Legal, institutional and economic framework for forest conservation and sustainable management

  • 7.1c Extent to which the economic framework supports the conservation and sustainable management of forests

Focus areas


  • Support Aboriginal forest ownership, management and decision-making
  • Develop approaches to assess and protect Aboriginal forest access, values, uses and rights
  • Strengthen leadership and participation in the management of forests, using and integrating Aboriginal ecological knowledge
  • Identify forest-related economic development opportunities, employment, education, training

Evaluation questions for all RFA regions

  1. To what extent are Aboriginal values, knowledge and people involved in forest management and decision making, and how can this be strengthened into the future?

Monitoring activities

  1. Aboriginal cultural values assessment cross tenure
    NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program
    Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation
    Timing: 3 June 2020 to 30 June 2021
    More details here

  2. Aboriginal culture and renewal case study – Coffs Harbour region
    NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program
    Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council
    More details here

  3. Project – Aboriginal culture and renewal case study – South Coast region
    NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program
    Brungle-Tumut Local Aboriginal Land Council
    More details here

  4. Project – Aboriginal culture and renewal case study – Tamworth region
    NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program
    Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council
    More details here

  5. Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS)
    Heritage NSW
    More details here

Research

  1. Cultural land management
    Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC
    Timing: to be completed by 30 June 2021
    More details here

  2. Indigenous actions in threatened species research and management
    National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    Timing: commenced late 2020
    More details here

  3. Place-based cultural revitalisation: Culture futures with the Corroboree frog
    Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires (CERMB) with DPIE and Brungle Tumut LALC
    Timing: findings from March 2020
    More details here

  4. Cultural heritage assessment post-fires: 8 National Park sites in NSW
    National Parks and Wildlife Service
    Timing: assessment complete, report available early 2021
    Details to be provided by National Parks

  5. Cultural fire interagency group – post-fire site assessments on national parks
    Led by DPC with interagency involvement and largely Commonwealth post-fire funding
    Timing: complete early 2021
    Details to be provided by interagency group

See research priorities.