Regional Environment and Natural Resource Management Forum Wet Tropics Region Forum Proceedings 14 -15 March, 2002 CAIRNS 1 © Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, news reporting, criticism or review. Selected passages, tables or diagrams may be reproduced for such purposes provided acknowledgment of the source is included. Major extracts of the entire document may not be reproduced by any process without written permission of the Rainforest CRC. Published by the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. Further copies may be requested from the Rainforest CRC, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia. This publication should be cited as: Regional Environment and Natural Resource Management Forum, Wet Tropics Region, Forum Proceedings, 14- 15 March 2002, Cairns. Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Mangement. Cairns. 2 Acknowledgements Thank you to: The Traditional Owners of this country, the Gimuy – Yidinji and the Traditional Owners throughout the Wet Tropics Region. North Queensland Land Council Native Title Representative Body Aboriginal Corporation and Girringun and Elders Reference Group who were responsible for supporting the forum. Mr. Rowan Foley for facilitating the forum and assisting in its organisation. Ms Peta-Marie Standley, of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Ms Tracey Kluck, of the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) for their individual efforts on behalf of their organisations, whose support for this forum is widely appreciated. Other organisations who supported the forum, including Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation Inc., Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) Bushcare Program and the Rainforest CRC. Dr Rosemary Hill of the Rainforest CRC for taking notes throughout the Forum to enable preparation of this report. Thank you also to all speakers and attendees. The forum was held at the Sisters of Mercy Conference Centre, Cairns. Acknowledgement is also due to: Editors: R. Hill and M.J. Nursey-Bray with R. Foley, J. Fenton, L. Talbot, M. George, R. Noble, and J. Epong. 3 Acronyms ACC Aboriginal Coordinating Council ATSIC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission BDTG Burdekin Dry Tropics Group CRC Cooperative Research Centre CY HoAIG Cape York Peninsula Heads of Agreement Implementation Group CYHOA Cape York Heads of Agreement CYLC Cape York Land Council CYP Cape York Peninsula CYPDA Cape York Peninsula Development Association CYPLUS Cape York Peninsula Land Use Study CYRAP Cape York Regional Assessment Panel DNRM Department of Natural Resources and Mines DPI Department of Primary Industries EPA Environment Protection Authority ILC Indigenous Land Corporation ILUA Indigenous Land Use Agreement INF Interim Negotiating Forum NHT National Heritage Trust NNTT National Native Title Tribunal NQAA North Queensland Afforestation Association NQLC North Queensland Land Council NRM Board Natural Resource Management Board (Wet Tropics) Inc. QMDC Queensland Murray Darling Commission QPWS Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service RAP Regional Assessment Panel TRG Tenure Resolution Group WHA World Heritage Area WTMA Wet Tropics Management Authority 4 Table of Contents Acronyms......................................................................................................... 4 Table of Contents ............................................................................................ 5 Executive Summary......................................................................................... 8 List of Participants ......................................................................................... 11 Welcome........................................................................................................ 14 Seith Fourmile ............................................................................................ 14 Forum Introduction: Mr. Rowan Foley, North Queensland Land Council................................................................................................ 15 Introduction................................................................................................. 15 Four processes........................................................................................... 15 Towards Strong Indigenous Land and Sea Management Agencies: Allan Dale, General Manager Resource Policy, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines...................... 17 An Emerging Policy .................................................................................... 17 Indigenous Land and Sea Management..................................................... 17 Government historical record...................................................................... 18 Key Drivers for a Re-think on dealing with Traditional Owners................... 18 Cape York/Ten Year Partnerships Drives the Rethink................................ 18 Principles Underpinning the Agreements ................................................... 19 Key Strategies ............................................................................................ 20 Supporting Traditional Owners to Manage Resources ............................... 20 Roles of Indigenous Groups ....................................................................... 20 In Bama Country......................................................................................... 21 Natural Heritage Trust Stage 2: Sarah Chalkley, NHT 2 Taskforce, Environment Australia ................................................................................ 23 Strategic Framework of the Extension to the NHT...................................... 23 Four Trust programs................................................................................... 23 Three Objectives NHT ................................................................................ 24 Areas of activity .......................................................................................... 24 5 Funding will be delivered at three levels..................................................... 25 Regional NRM Plans .................................................................................. 26 Regional Investment Issues for Consideration ........................................... 27 Local Investment Level = Local Action Grants............................................ 27 Integration with the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality..... 27 Moving Towards Regional Arrangements: Brad Dorrington, Executive Officer, NRM Board (Wet Tropics) Inc...................................... 30 Introduction................................................................................................. 30 Board Membership ..................................................................................... 30 Core Business ............................................................................................ 30 The Wet Tropics Regional NRM Forum...................................................... 31 Regional Body Roles .................................................................................. 31 Regional Arrangements – Indigenous Involvement .................................... 31 Cape York Partnerships – Land and Sea Management: Mr. Noel Pearson ......................................................................................... 34 Management Partnerships: Josh Gibson, Manager, Area Conservation Program WTMA........................................................... 35 Introduction................................................................................................. 35 Wet Tropics Management Agreements ...................................................... 35 Mona Mona Community Management Agreement ..................................... 35 Natural and Cultural Resource Management Planning: Melissa George, Aboriginal Traditional Owner Liaison Officer............... 38 Burdekin Dry Tropics .................................................................................. 38 Process to date........................................................................................... 38 Issues to be addressed. ............................................................................. 38 How did we get here?................................................................................. 38 What is happening now? ............................................................................ 39 What is at stake?........................................................................................ 39 Structures ................................................................................................... 39 Involvement in the Burdekin ....................................................................... 39 Different Ways of Thinking About Land Management: Steve McCann, Caring for Country Unit, Cairns TAFE............................. 43 Introduction................................................................................................. 43 Caring For Country Program ...................................................................... 46 6 Mona Mona Flora and Fauna Project: Barry Hunter ................................. 48 Introduction................................................................................................. 48 Badjuballa Green Corps Experience: Chris Kennedy, Badjubulla, Girringun Elders and Reference Group................................