Biocultural monitoring of Traditional Owner managed forests

Djaara is a Dja Dja Wurrung language for the Traditional Owners of Central Victoria, while the DJAARA corporation is the body that progresses and represents the rights and aspirations of Djaara people. In 2022, DJAARA initiated its long-term Forest Gardening Strategy. The aim of this project is to help demonstrate the social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits of Djaara-led Forest Gardening through cultural and ecological monitoring.

This project seeks to further the nascent collaboration between the University of Melbourne and DJAARA by providing resources to support monitoring, opportunities for mutual learning through collaboration, training opportunities, and means of expanding the evidence base of Forest Gardening. It is expected that this seed funding will support the early phases of this trial between 2023 and 2024, including a preliminary quantitative assessment of the site, training for monitoring, and communicating results.

This is the first research site that combines Indigenous-led Forest Gardening and reproducible, scientific monitoring methods. The outcome of this project will provide and communicate scientific evidence for the benefits of forest gardening to forest managers, the Djaara community, and the public.