The North Australian Indigenous Land
& Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) is an unincorporated
bioregional forum for Indigenous land and sea managers across North
Australia. It aims to support practical Indigenous land and sea
management using strategic approaches to care for country with an
emphasis on practical management by Traditional Owners across the
whole of the North. It is a partner agency of the Tropical Savannas
CRC and represents the interests of Indigenous land and sea
managers across northern Australia to the CRC’s Board of
Management.
To read more about the establishment of NAILSMA, download the
discussion paper, A structure for the strategic development of
the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management
Allliance , at right.
Research and natural resource
management projects are funded via NAILSMA’s core member
organisations. It has two broad but interrelated functions.
In the first instance, NAILSMA is
involved in supporting Indigenous land and sea management
initiatives that are relevant across the whole of northern
Australia. These currently include:
- Dugong and Marine Turtle Management Project
- North Australian Fire Project.
- Indigenous Knowledge Conservation Strategy Project.
- Leadership, Scholarship and Communication Project.
- Indigenous participation in the National Water Initiative.
Secondly, NAILSMA is a movement that is driven by a developing
network or alliance of groups, organisations and communities who
are involved in practical Indigenous land and sea management on
their country. Through this alliance, there are opportunities
to:
- Support capacity building amongst, and increase communications
between, Indigenous land and sea managers;
- Advocate for the rights and interests of Indigenous land and
sea managers across the north of Australia;
- Support economic development opportunities that are based on
land and sea management; and
- Support the inter-generational transfer of customary knowledge
and practices across generations.
To further these aims, it seeks to invite more Indigenous land
and sea management agencies and relevant non-government agencies to
participate as potential members of the alliance.
