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Aboriginal Programs

The Department recognises that Aboriginal people have a strong cultural association with and knowledge of their traditional lands, and a long tradition of living in and managing those lands.

In recognising this, land and natural resource planners, managers and decision makers stand to gain a significant benefit from maintaining and enhancing the involvement of Aboriginal peoples and communities in the natural resource planning and management decision-making processes.

Government policy and new land use and natural resource management frameworks provide a unique opportunity to reassess the way that Aboriginal communities can have effective involvement in land and natural resource use and management.

Aboriginal input into natural resource management has generally occurred in an advisory capacity. Through active partnerships between the Department, CMAs and Aboriginal communities, the Department is developing innovative approaches to Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management as a means to embrace Aboriginal community cultural values within its broader natural resource management functions.