The concept of NAILSMA was enhanced in late 2002 when the
Northern & Kimberley Land Council’s and Balkanu Cape York
Development Corporation became partners in the Cooperative Research
Centre for Tropical Savannas.
The relationship with the CRC allows NAILSMA to act as an agent
for change in supporting practical natural and cultural resource
management activities and initiatives across the wet/dry tropics of
north Australia.
NAILSMA's core membership currently consists of the Kimberley
and Northern Land Council’s and Balkanu Cape York Development
Corporation. We are hoping that the Carpentaria Land Council and
Torres Strait Regional Authority will also become formal members of
the alliance. This membership does not exclude other Indigenous
organisations across north Australia however and membership is open
to discussion.
The alliance is coordinated from Darwin by Joe Morrison (also
see story on the governance structure for NAILSMA) and a
steering committee made up of representatives of core partners,
plus the Indigenous Land Corporation, Tropical Savannas CRC and the
Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment.
NAILSMA is housed at the Tropical Savannas CRC located on the
Charles Darwin University campus in Darwin.
NAILSMA is currently embarking upon three major projects focused
on Dugong and Marine Turtle Management, development of a strategy
for Indigenous Knowledge conservation and application across north
Australia and the development of a Indigenous led Fire management
agenda.
NAILSMA’s focus is to support Traditional Owners with
on-country management of natural and cultural resources, developing
support structures for future managers of the Indigenous estate,
development of effective communication across the top, engaging
TO’s into the research agendas and indeed lead them, and
finally supporting TO’s to explore economic
opportunities.
NAILSMA Coordinator Joe Morrison has nurtured the NAILSMA
concept from 2002, when Peter Cooke, David Epworth and Mark
Horstman asked him to sit on the CRC Board of Management and take
up the Coordinator position. This has in simple language, enabled
Indigenous people to have a seat at the negotiating table of a very
important initiative across north Australia.
For the last 18 months, Joe has been developing working
relationships with partners and community groups across North
Australia. Lisa Binge, NAILSMA Project Officer will be coordinating
Indigenous leadership, communication initiatives, including
Kantri Laif and developing a scholarship program aimed at
supporting people on country get access to education. NAILSMA Fire
Project Officer Wayne Davis commenced employment with NAILSMA on
the 28th July and his job requires him to work with Indigenous and
other sectoral groups including pastoral, tourism, mining and
parks, to develop a voice for Indigenous fire managers across North
Australia. Wayne has worked in land management for nearly 20 years
as a ranger in Kakadu Naitonal Park and has spent time in the
centre managing community-based Landcare projects with Tangentyere
Landcare.
