Healthy Country

Title: Healthy Country

Summary: Led by Michael-Shawn Fletcher (Director Research Capability, IKI, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science, School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), this theme will provide a qualitative and quantitative understanding of what constitutes 'Healthy Country', develop appropriate benchmarks and metrics to measure the efficacy of management approaches, and facilitate/contribute to the development and implementation of cultural mapping and Healthy Country management plans.

This project will empower Aboriginal people to influence and govern decisions that shape their Country. The multi-scalar focus of this project will result in emergence and elucidation of what constitutes “Healthy Country” at scales ranging from local landscapes to intra-community (i.e. regional).

Investigators:

Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher (Theme leader)
Ms Maddison Miller (Deputy theme leader)
Dr Joe Greet (CI)
Dr Andrea Rawluk (CI)
Professor Rodney Keenan (CI)
Dr Cathy Oke (CI)
Dr Jack Pascoe (PI)
Mr Matt Shanks (PI)
Mr John Clarke (PI)
Mr Daniel Miller (PI)
Uncle Dave Wandin (PI)
Mr David Roberts (PI)

Organisations:

The University of Melbourne
Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Corporation (GLaWAC)
Conservation Ecology Centre
Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC)
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC)
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation

Media

Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher, Maddison Miller, Dr Jack Pascoe, and Matt Shanks: "Using Indigenous Knowledge to Manage Healthy Country"

This panel asks what constitutes 'Healthy Country' and discusses the design and efficacy of Healthy Country management plans. The panel will consider how Healthy Country management plans can empower Indigenous communities and the broader Australian community. Healthy Country is a Research Theme program funded by the Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne.

The presentation was part of the 2022 International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples Symposium.