Monitoring outcomes of environmental service provision in low socio-economic Indigenous Australia using innovative CyberTracker Technology
Date
2012
Authors
Ens, Emilie-Jane
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Medknow Publications
Abstract
Payments for environmental services (PBS) are increasingly promoted as an economic mechanism that
could
potentially address socio-economic and environmental conservation objectives in developing
regions.However, the reporting and conditionality requirements of PES projects can be
inhibitory,particularly for people with low enviromental monitoring or administration
capacity. Here, I provide five case studies where Indigenous Land and Sea Management groups in remote
northern Australia, have combined Indigenous ecological knowledge,Western science,and the innovative
CyberTracker technology to record and monitor the ecological outcomes of their land
management activities to facilitate engagement with mainstream economies in Australia. The case studies
elucidate methods of data collection and recording for established and potential PBS projects where
environmental monitoring and adaptive land and sea management are clear objectives, with longer term
prospects for socio-economic benefits of Indigenous community education, empowerment and
development. Similar monitoring and reporting methods could be applied in other contexts where
individuals or community groups want to engage in emerging mainstream environmental service markets,
but lack environmental monitoring and reporting capacity, such as other Indigenous groups,people from
economically poor regions, or farmers in environmentally valuable regions.
Description
Keywords
Indigenous ecological knowledge, capacity building, market-based instruments, citizen science, payment for environmental services
Citation
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Source
Conservation and Society
Type
Journal article
Book Title
Entity type
Access Statement
Open Access
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Restricted until
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