NERP TE Hub Indigenous Engagement Strategy and Implementation Plan for January 2013 – December 2014

The National Environmental Research Program (NERP) Tropical Ecosystems (TE) Hub is focused on the sustainable management of environmental assets in northern Queensland including the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics Rainforests and the Torres Strait. These natural areas are strongly connected to the region’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There are an identified 20 Traditional Owner Groups, 120 clans and at least 6 language groups within the Wet Tropics region alone (RAPA, 2011). There are approximately 70 Traditional Owner clan groups whose sea country includes the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2012). The Torres Strait has 20 Traditional Owner groups (19 Torres Strait Islander Corporations, and one Aboriginal Native Title Corporation); the Torres Strait is in a post native title environment. Indigenous ecological knowledge is a fundamental pillar for the sustainable environmental management of the natural resources of north Queensland. The NERP TE Hub recognises the importance of Indigenous engagement in the understanding and management of north Queensland’s natural assets.