Improving wetland management through First Nations’ knowledge and a spatial visualisation tool

Abstract

As wetlands continue to decline, there is an urgent need to improve their management by following the guidelines of international programs. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands requires assessing baseline conditions and monitoring, for which Earth Observations are powerful tools. However, spatial and temporal limitations require integrated co-management, incorporating First Nations' Knowledge. We address three case studies with unique management challenges in Australia: invasive macrophytes in tropical Kakadu (Bininj/Mungguy Country), water extraction in subtropical Minjerribah-Terrangeri (Nunukul, Goenpul and Ngugi Country), and agriculture in semiarid Gwydir wetlands (Kamilaroi/Gamilaroi/Gomeroi/Gamilaraay Country). We utilise spatial imagery visualised with the Wetlands Insight Tool (WIT), which detects long-term changes (1988–2021), along with UAV imagery and First Nations’ Knowledge, to understand the baseline condition of the wetlands and the changes they are experiencing. This approach can support decision-making on the threats to address, the solutions to take, and the monitoring of the world’s remaining wetlands.

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