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Indigenous Land and Sea Management Programs (ILSMPs) Enhance the Wellbeing of Indigenous Australians

Author

Listed:
  • Silva Larson

    (College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University and the Cairns Institute, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia)

  • Natalie Stoeckl

    (College of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia)

  • Diane Jarvis

    (College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University and CSIRO Land and Water, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia)

  • Jane Addison

    (College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University and CSIRO Land and Water, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia)

  • Daniel Grainger

    (College of Business, Law and Governance and the Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia)

  • Felecia Watkin Lui

    (Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University and the Cairns Institute, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia)

  • Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation

    (PO Box 1115, Derby, WA 6728, Australia)

  • Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

    (PO Box 264, Fitzroy Crossing, WA 6765, Australia)

  • Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

    (Hort St, Mareeba, QLD 4880, Australia)

  • Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

    (Great Northern Highway, St George Ranges, WA 6728, Australia)

Abstract

Conservation and environmental management have been reported as offering opportunities to substantially improve the wellbeing of Indigenous people. Using the holistic wellbeing impact evaluation (W-IE) approach—well suited for use in Indigenous communities—we interviewed 190 Indigenous Australians across four communities. All communities were involved in the Indigenous land and sea management programs (ILSMPs). Our study explored the conceptualisation of ‘wellbeing’ by participants. In particular, we were interested in the aspects of wellbeing perceived to be affected by ILSMPs. Out of the 26 wellbeing factors explored, ‘Health centres’; ‘Language’; ‘Schools’; and ‘Safe community’ emerged as being of highest importance to the largest percentage of the respondents. When grouped using principle components analysis (PCA), the ‘Community and society’ domain emerged as the most important; accounting for 52% of the overall importance of all wellbeing factors. The second most important domain was the ‘Country and culture’, contributing 31%. Lastly, ‘Economic aspects’ contributed only 17%. Respondents believed that ILSMPs have played a considerable causal role in improving wellbeing, by positively changing factors most important to them. Specifically, 73% of perceived causal links were related to improvements in the ‘Country and Culture’ and 23% to ‘Community and Society’ domain. We thus conclude that land management for Indigenous people is much more than ecological or environmental management with ILSMPs, perceived to cause a wide range of cultural and social benefits. We also propose ways in which the future design of such programs could be improved to further increase benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Silva Larson & Natalie Stoeckl & Diane Jarvis & Jane Addison & Daniel Grainger & Felecia Watkin Lui & Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation & Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC & Ewamian Aborig, 2019. "Indigenous Land and Sea Management Programs (ILSMPs) Enhance the Wellbeing of Indigenous Australians," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-15, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2019:i:1:p:125-:d:301202
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Moren Tibabo Stone & Gyan Nyaupane, 2014. "Rethinking community in community-based natural resource management," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(1), pages 17-31, January.
    2. Addison, Jane & Stoeckl, Natalie & Larson, Silva & Jarvis, Diane & Bidan Aboriginal Corporation, & Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, & Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, & Gooniyandi , 2019. "The ability of community based natural resource management to contribute to development as freedom and the role of access," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 91-104.
    3. Zander, Kerstin K. & Straton, Anna, 2010. "An economic assessment of the value of tropical river ecosystem services: Heterogeneous preferences among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 2417-2426, October.
    4. Loomis, Terrence M., 2000. "Indigenous Populations and Sustainable Development: Building on Indigenous Approaches to Holistic, Self-Determined Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 893-910, May.
    5. Jonathan Kingsley & Mardie Townsend & Claire Henderson-Wilson & Bruce Bolam, 2013. "Developing an Exploratory Framework Linking Australian Aboriginal Peoples’ Connection to Country and Concepts of Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.
    6. Per Axelsson & Tahu Kukutai & Rebecca Kippen, 2016. "The field of Indigenous health and the role of colonisation and history," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-7, March.
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