 |
|
Performance Story Workshop at Mudnunn,
Kimberley, WA
|
Late last year, the Australian Government invited the NAILMSA
Dugong and Marine Turtle Project to be one of two Indigenous
projects funded by the Australian Government to trial a new method
of evaluation—Most Significant Change Performance Story
Report. In March 2008, partners of the project voted in favour of
participating in the trial and seven months on, the evaluation is
almost complete.
The recent Dugong and Marine Turtle Management Summit at
Mudnunn provided the stage for a final step in the
process—representatives from each of the Project sites, as
well as government and research collaborators, selecting the best
and most representative “Most Significant Change Story”
from those submitted by people in their community.
Paul Josif and Bevan Bessen were at Mudnunn to facilitate the
process—as they have been throughout the entire evaluation
process. Paul and Bevan report on the progress so far and provide
some insight into what the evaluation has revealed about the
project.
The Dugong and Marine Turtle Project Most Significant Change
Performance Story Report evaluation is now virtually completed. All
the components of the evaluation including the Data Trawl,
convening of Scientific and Traditional Owner panels, Performance
Stories and interviews with support agency representatives, and the
Summit have shown the project itself to have been a substantial
success.
Over the four year duration of the project, all participants
have learnt many beneficial lessons.
The Government has learnt that Traditional Owners can manage a
very large project and achieve the predicted outcomes as well as
achieve a large number of positive additional outcomes across the
entire quadruple bottom line—social, cultural, environmental
and economic.
Traditional Owners have learnt the value of broad networks where
Indigenous peoples are linked by their interests in using their
diverse cultural knowledge as a common foundation for the
sustainable management of culturally and economically important
species.
All of these benefits are demonstrated to varying degrees in the
evaluation results. The evaluation has also provided a valuable
baseline and foundation for future dugong and marine turtle work,
but it has also lead the way for implementing similar Indigenous
partnered Natural Resource Management projects.
The Most Significant Change Performance Story Report
evaluation is due for completion later this year.
