Project Lead: Neville Crossman (Flinders University)
Project Team: John Kandulu (Flinders University), Lia Bryant, Doreen Donovan, Bridget McFarland (University of South Australia), Kerri Muller (AU2100), Mike Dunlop, Nicky Grigg (CSIRO)
Increased frequency and intensity of floods and droughts under climate change threaten the ecosystem services which underpin community livelihoods. These services are of significant social, cultural and economic value. Examples include recreation and tourism activities, provision of fresh water for consumption and agriculture, cultural and spiritual pursuits, and amenities related to biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
More intense and frequent droughts and floods will compromise the local ecosystem’s ability to continue supplying and supporting these services. Consequently, they threaten community well-being and lifestyles. However, the extent of the impact and how communities can respond remains unknown.
This project is collaborating with CLLMM communities in planning adaptation responses to the impacts of increased drought and flooding in the region due to climate change.
This project has two main objectives:
A cross-disciplinary team from economics, social sciences, and cultural and creative industries will be assembled to meet these objectives.
This project is being delivered in partnership with communities, including First Nations, farmers, local governments, conservation groups and business leaders through targeted workshops.
Understanding the future threats to the values associated with ecosystems and their services, and the adaptation options communities desire will help ecosystem managers design protection and restoration activities that are most supported by communities.
First Nations culture and traditions are rooted within an ancient historical connection with country and countless generations of studying their local environment as a way of life. First Nations traditional ways of life, including land and water management, sustainable harvesting, and the conservation of local species can provide vital perspectives into the ways we manage the lands and waters into the future.
First Nations people of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) will potentially be some of the most impacted people from cumulative and more frequent drought and flood events.
The destruction, inconsistency and instability of more frequent droughts and floods would have detrimental effects on the social welfare of First Nations people, inhibiting their ability to undertake or preserve significant cultural practices and values. Foreseeing and documenting this impact may help preserve the health of the people themselves, along with future planning for the environment.
Economically, many First Nations people rely on ‘working on country’ or tourism employment, utilising cultural knowledge, practices and natural resources as a way of earning an income. This includes First Nations owned and operated businesses that could be severely impacted by the shifting climates and environment.
The Goyder Institute for Water Research is a research partnership of the South Australian Government through the Department for Environment and Water, CSIRO, Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.
The Goyder Institute for Water Research will receive $8 million from the Australian Government over 4 years from 2023-26 to work with communities to investigate the impacts of climate change on the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) region.
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