Syllabus Bites Caring for Country

Indigenous knowledge

Using Indigenous knowledge

Indigenous knowledge1 can be combined with scientific understanding to make decisions about caring for our country.

Fire burning up a slope with two trees in foreground2

©Thomas Schoch2 CC-BY-SA 2.53

Read about how the Aboriginal tradition of fire-stick farming has been incorporated into today’s practice of burning for biodiversity.

Research task

Construct a table summarising three projects that have used Indigenous knowledge to help overcome problems in terrestrial or aquatic resource management. Use the links provided in the Research tab.

The table must list:

  • the resource management problem (where it occurred and why)

  • the Indigenous knowledge or practices that were applied to the problem

  • the outcome of the project.

Reflect on your findings by answering the questions in the Reflect tab.

Use these links to find out about three existing projects required for this task.

Reflect on your research by answering these questions:

  • Did I clearly state the resource management problem?

  • Did I identify the Indigenous knowledge or practice that was applied?

  • Did I explain the link between the application of the Indigenous knowledge and the outcome of the project?

Links

  1. http://livingknowledge.anu.edu.au/learningsites/seacountry/08_science.htm
  2. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bushfire_Australia.jpg
  3. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/au/
  4. http://www.csiro.au/Portals/About-CSIRO/Who-we-are/CSIRO-Indigenous-Engagement/Science-with-Indigenous-communities.aspx
  5. http://www.environment.gov.au/indigenous/workingoncountry/index.html