Environmental Management
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Aboriginal people have a cultural, spiritual, social and economic connection to the land and its natural resources, and have an important role in environmental management.
Aboriginal people possess special knowledge, rights and interests in relation to the way that natural resources are managed and used. It is important that Aboriginal cultural knowledge of natural resources is only used in accordance with the wishes of the custodian of that information.
Case study: Goonoo State Forest
In August 2001, the Department of Mineral Resources conducted geological exploration in Goonoo State Forest, near Dubbo. The exploration activity had the potential to disturb an area of cultural significance to Aboriginal people, where food or medicine plants have been collected for generations.
Acting on advice from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Department of Mineral Resources and State Forests negotiated with the Goonoo Aboriginal Management Committee to conduct pre-exploration surveys to ensure that Aboriginal cultural issues (including natural resource issues) would not be adversely affected by the proposed activity. The local Aboriginal community, the Department of Mineral Resources, and State Forests were all satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations and the survey.
If you want more information on Aboriginal natural resource and environmental management, you can contact the Department on 9219 0700.
