Ecosystem services and livelihood opportunities for Indigenous rural

communities in savanna landscapes

Jeremy Russell-Smith and colleagues

Background concept

Develop a dialogue between rural Indigenous communities across northern Australia and neighbouring regions, eastern Indonesia, Timor Leste, PNG, to explore opportunities for sustainable economic opportunities—particularly those afforded through new economies related to ecosystem services, climate change mitigation, carbon trading, REDD+…

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Fig. 1 Major land uses and cadastre for north Australian savanna region

Aboriginal managed lands—ILC 2008

Aboriginal Native Title Applications—ILC 2008

Fig. 2 Indigenous land interests in north Australia savanna region

Mondu Perdu, Timor Leste

Waingapu, Sumba NTT

Broad vegetation map and logging concessions in the TransFly project area, PNG

Objectives of first Darwin workshop, April 2012, co-funded by ACEAS and United Nations University

• Identify key land use management challenges in the 4 regions

• Explore economic opportunities related broadly to ecosystem services, climate change mitigation, carbon trading, and related instruments (e.g. REDD+)

• Commence assessments of value of ecosystem services and associated economic opportunities through formal scenario modelling exercises

• Develop basis for an ongoing dialogue

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Model outputs using NetLogo software incorporating a number of forestry development options for the TransFly project area, PNG. The model tracks forest condition, carbon and

timber revenues over a 20 year time-frame, with the capacity to alter the variables of rotation length, time to full growth, harvest volume, and royalties.

Follow-up workshops

PNG (October 2012)—Sponsored by PNG Sustainable Development Program Ltd, United Nations University

Kupang, Indonesia (May 2013)—Sponsored by Crawford Fund

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Current initiatives

• Bushfire & Natural Hazards CRC funding (2014-2020) for program addressing Indigenous community resilience across northern Australia, and neighbouring countries

• AUSAID funding to UNU and partners for feasibility assessment of savanna burning and related activities in savannas globally—including neighbouring countries

• Ongoing economic opportunities assessment in PNG’s TransFly region, funded by Western Province Govt

• Ongoing AUSAID funding for development projects in NTT Indonesia

• Prospective carbon offsets-landscape management project in TL, co-funded through ConocoPhillips and ACIAR

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