A man walks through a smoky woodlands with someone standing in the background in firefighting gear.

Indigenous people & the environment

About

The Fenner School is home to a number of researchers who are making important scholarly contributions to understanding the relationship between Indigenous Australians and the environment. Our research focuses on the historical and contemporary involvement of Indigenous peoples in environmental management, Indigenous peoples’ worldviews of sustainability and the challenge of water scarcity for Indigenous communities in Australia.

Groups

Researchers and collaborators stand in front of a pond at the ANU Campus.

Mapping for Mob

The Mapping for Mob team works with Indigenous organisations to deliver Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software training to over 30 Indigenous professionals around Australia.

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Projects

Activating the Indigenous Estate – Baseline Study of Agricultural Capacity

First Nations people have legal interests to greater than 57% of Australia’s land mass yet their participation in primary industries is minimal. The baseline study addresses several aspects and issues associated with growing First Nations primary production across Australia.

People

Prof Peter Yu, First Nations Portfolio - Principal Investigator
Mr Russell Barnett - Honorary Associate Professor, First Nations Portfolio
Dr Lorrae McArthur - Senior Projects Officer, First Nations Portfolio
Mr Brian Stacey, Professor of Practice, First Nations Portfolio
Mr Bruce Gorring, Director, National Indigenous Business Development Hub, First…

Booderee National Park & Surrounds

Researchers undertake projects to study biodiversity and the impacts of fire and invasive animal and plant control on mammals, birds and reptiles inhabiting a range of vegetation types.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

David Lindenmayer

Centre for Water and Landscape Dynamics

The Centre for Water and Landscape Dynamics (WALD) sits within the Fenner School of Environment & Society, and combines satellite observations, field data and prediction models to measure, monitor and forecast natural hazards, natural resources and the environment.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

Conservation of freshwater ecosystems in the Murray-Darling Basin

This research looks at options for more effective conservation of freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of people and nature.

People

Supporting the re-emergence of cultural burning in box-gum grassy woodlands

ANU Fenner School ecologists and a cohort of New South Wales Local Aboriginal Land Councils are joining together on a project to re-introduce cultural burning in box-gum grassy woodlands and to monitor the environmental outcomes of the burns.

Victorian Forest Biodiversity and Conservation

In Victoria, Australia, Fenner researchers undertake a range of studies to examine at the environmental impacts of fire, logging, and other factors affecting biodiversity and forest habitats.