Developing Joint Management
The Parks and Wildlife Service and Traditional Owners are developing joint management in a range of ways. The Service works closely with the Central and Northern Land Council who have a vital role in assisting Traditional Owners and representing their interests. The joint management program across the NT includes:
Training and Employment
Aboriginal Trainee Ranger Program
On completion trainees have a Certificate in Land and Wildlife Conservation and are offered permanent jobs as park rangers.
Flexible Training and Employment Programs
A structured program in the Alice Springs and Tennant Creek regions offers Traditional Owners paid casual work and in park management programs. It aims to build capacity in both individuals and partner CDEP organisations so that Aboriginal people can benefit from future contract opportunities in land management projects, or building and maintaining park facilities and infrastructure.
In the North, the Traditional Owners of the parks of the Mary and Adelaide Rivers area have attended on-country training camps. These training camps provided accredited training in first aid, weed control, fire management, four wheel drive operations and chainsaw use. As a result of this training several Traditional Owners have been employed on short-term contracts.
In the Katherine area Traditional Owners for Flora River Nature Park were granted a contract for fencing, and boat ramp and campground maintenance. In Gregory National park work crews have also been contracted for weed control, fire management and walking track maintenance.
Developing Tourism and Other Business
Joint management brings opportunities for Traditional Owners to benefit from businesses on, or associated with parks. Where Traditional Owners have an interest, the Parks and Wildlife Service works with tourism development officers from other agencies in helping Traditional Owners explore the options and take steps towards establishing viable businesses.
Joint Management Plans
Photo at right: Traditional Owners and Parks and Wildlife staff working on the Joint Management Plan for the Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve.
The Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act says that the joint management partners must prepare a Joint Management Plan. The focus of joint management plans is the shared vision for how a park will be managed. The partners work out how the objectives and principles of joint management including community interests will be achieved through shared decision-making.
Through meetings and workshops Park planners, rangers, Traditional Owners and land council staff work together to prepare draft plans for public comment.
A Joint Management Plan for Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve came into operation in June 2008.
The following parks and reserves have Joint Management Plans in preparation:
- Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
- Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve
- West MacDonnell National Park
- Watarrka National Park
- Trephina Gorge Nature Park
- N’Dhala Gorge Conservation Reserve
- Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve
- Flora River Nature Park
- Gregory National Park
- Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve
- Black Jungle / Lambell’s Lagoon Conservation Reserve
- Harrison Dam Conservation Area
- Melacca Swamp Conservation Area
Building the Capacity of the Partners
Successful joint management is built on trust and respect between the joint management partners. This trust and respect is built from sharing information, understanding and points of view. This often takes place when rangers and Traditional Owners work together on park projects during employment and training activities. Joint management planning camps and workshops provide another opportunity for two-way learning and building trust and respect.
All Parks and Wildlife Service staff are required to complete Introduction to Aboriginal Culture training. More specific training is provided to rangers in applying joint management principles. On-country camps and culture days led by Traditional Owners are also very good for developing both the partners’ skills in working together. These camps and culture days have been held for many parks across the NT.
A range of booklets, videos and posters have been prepared to improve understanding about what managing parks involves and the benefits and responsibilities of joint management. This includes a professionally produced video entitled “Welcome to Joint Management”.
