This ‘Building Indigenous Capacity in Culture, Tourism and Conservation Economies’ project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program.
BOABs of the MARTUWARRA
In 2011, the Australia Federal Government listed the Martuwarra Fitzroy River as an iconic National Heritage Listed site. Martuwarra is also the largest registered Aboriginal cultural heritage site in WA. The boabs of the Martuwarra are iconic to this region and are of cultural, environmental, and economic significance.
The unknown risks to boabs from environmental impact of climate change, increasing tides and shifting water tables could impact on the various boab habitats and ecosystems in the Shire of Derby, West Kimberley.
Why a project about Boabs?
The Project is the First in the World. No-one in the Shire needs to be told how special boabs are in the Shire. The properties of boabs are well known and are increasingly becoming a premium ‘super food’ that is often wild harvested for carving, food, and medicine. Indigenous to Australia, ‘Boabs’, Adansonia gregorii occurs mainly in the Kimberley, with a slight NT extension. The cultural significance of the Kimberley boabs cannot be overstated.
Science-based informed decision-making needs both Indigenous, traditional knowledge practice and western science as well as promoting environmental stewardship and community-based resource management. This research is crucial in providing the foundations for wide-ranging benefits for generations to come. Currently, half of the worlds eight species of boabs, also known as the Tree of Life, are dying and listed on the International Union Conservation Nature (IUCN) Red List as being endangered. Currently, worldwide and in Australia, due to a lack of environmental information on the hydrology and habitats that sustain boabs, as well as development pressures, the survival of many species of this iconic tree is under threat
Photo: Women in Science - (L to R) Tegan Riley, Kaitlyn Buaneye, Elaine Riley
Pandanus Park Women in science volunteers
A workshop was held in March with the community to introduce everyone to the Project. There are now a group of community citizen science volunteers who monitor and record the water table monthly.
Australian Association of Environmental Education
Three of the ‘women in science’ were awarded scholarships in late September to attend the Australian Association of Environmental Education in Mandurah.
We believe this Project will be making history, as it is an Australian-first. The Project will provide vital new valuation data that will fill an existing knowledge gap in relation to the economic value of environmental (biodiversity and eco-system) services on Country. It is expected to position riverside communities to succeed in the broader economic development of their land.
Photo: (L to R ) Professor Anne Poelina, Kaitlyn Buaneye, Tegan Riley, Elaine Riley
Where to next?
The Pandanus Park Boab ‘women in science’ team volunteer monthly to monitor and record changes in water tables of these sites. These culture, conservation, science, and tourism opportunities involve opening the River Country to share with national and world citizens and create ‘export-quality’ experiences and economically sustainable livelihoods on Country. Importantly it will provide stories and experiences to showcase and promote the National Heritage Listed Fitzroy River as a unique and globally important riverine system.
Plans for a Feasibility Study are underway to develop ‘Walking and Horse Trails’ between Pandanus Park and, Balginjirr (Lower Liveringa Outstation) along the ‘old River Road’.
If you need more information please call, (+61) 0408 922 155 or email anne@majala.com.au
If you want to know more about the WA NRM Program, please see:
Main website: www.nrm.wa.gov.au
Facebook: (@nrmpwa) https://www.facebook.com/nrmpwa/
Twitter: (@statenrmprogram) https://twitter.com/statenrmprogram
If you have any questions please contact the State NRM Office at snrmo@dpird.wa.gov.au or (08) 6552 2158.
Download document 1 as a PDF - 2.4 MBs
This ‘Building Indigenous Capacity in Culture, Tourism and Conservation Economies’ project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program.
The Boab is a sacred tree.
It was carried and propagated by the ancestors of Kimberley Aboriginal people.
Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) is a National Heritage Listed area. It is the largest registered Aboriginal cultural heritage site in WA.
The boabs of Martuwarra are iconic to the region
They hold deep cultural, environmental, and economic significance.
Climate change is already killing baobabs in Africa. Increasing tides, shifting water tables and temperature change could impact our boabs and their ecosystems...
Why a project about Boabs?
Boabs, Adansonia gregorii, are Indigenous to Australia and occur mainly in the Kimberley, with a small pocket in the NT.
No-one in the Kimberley needs to be told how special boabs are. Their distinct gnarled trunks punctuate the northern savannah. Aboriginal people have propagated and harvested these trees for thousands of years. Their uses include nut carving, food, water and medicine, and the
cultural significance of the Kimberley boabs cannot be overstated. Boabs are now sought as a premium ‘super food.’
But the survival of this iconic tree is under serious threat.
Half of the world’s eight boab species are marked endangered on the International Union Conservation Nature (IUCN) Red List. Never have boabs faced such intense human development pressures.
We need informed decision making to protect the ‘Tree of Life.’ We must combine Indigenous, traditional knowledge practices with western science. We must also promote environmental stewardship and community-based resource management.
The project
Research is crucial to preserving Australia’s rich ecological heritage for generations to come.
There is an alarming lack of information regarding the hydrology and habitats that sustain boabs. Our boab project is a unique partnership between Traditional Owners and Western scientists to gather critical information on the mighty boab.
The Pandanus Park Boab team volunteer monthly to monitor and record changes in water tables of various sites.
Photo: Women in Science - (L to R) Tegan Riley, Kaitlyn Buaneye, Elaine Riley
Pandanus Park Women as
science volunteers
In March 2021 a workshop was held at Pandanus Park, introducing the community to the Project. There are now a group of community citizen science volunteers who monitor and record the water table monthly.
This project will provide vital valuation data. It aims to fill an existing knowledge gap in relation to the economic value of environ- mental (biodiversity and eco-system) services on Country. It is expected to position riverside communities to succeed in the broader economic development of their land.
Three women were awarded scholarships in late September to attend the Australian Association of Environmental Education in Mandurah.
Where to next?
There are many conservation, science, and cultural tourism opportunities along Martuwarra.
We are working towards sharing the River globally, creating export-quality experiences and economically sustainable livelihoods for Traditional Owners. This will provide stories and experiences that showcase and promote the Fitzroy River as a globally unique riverine system.
Plans for a Feasibility Study are underway to develop walking and Horse trails between Pandanus Park and, Balginjirr (Lower Liveringa Outstation) along the ‘Old River Road.’
For more information please call 0408 922 155
or email anne@majala.com.au
If you want to know more about the WA NRM Program, please see:
Main website:
https://www.nrm.wa.gov.au
Facebook: (@nrmpwa)
https://www.facebook.com/nrmpwa/
If you have any questions please contact the State NRM Office at snrmo@dpird.wa.gov.au or (08) 6552 2158
Download document 2 as a PDF - 2.7 MB
