Appendix 1 - Victorian Environmental Assessment Council

Inttrroductti I ion
MNAC Report on the ECC Box-Ironbark Forests & Woodlands Investigation Draft Report
Aboriginal people have been involved in cultivating the environment's resources, for thousands of years.
Managing the land and water resources plays a major role in Aboriginal people's lives for survival and
conduct of their ceremonial practices. Aboriginal people have been caring for this country for thousands
of years and this is one of the reasons that the environment has flourished and survived as it has. The
continued practice of ‘caring for country’ by Aboriginal people has been severely limited due to
European settlement. Various reasons have contributed to Aboriginal people being prevented from
continuing to be the caretakers of the land. Due to the lack of respect for Aboriginal traditional practices
and non-inclusion of Aboriginal people in land management the environment has suffered greatly.
Caring for country could still continue today in a greater capacity if there was inclusion of Aboriginal
people through management and implementation of traditional practices. It is essential that traditional
owners be involved in land and water planning and management.
Trradi itti ional l ownerrs’ ’ sttattementt
The following statement was written by the Victorian traditional owners for inclusion in this report.
“The ECC should be commended on this report. The inclusion of the “Aboriginal Heritage, Use and
Management” chapter and the recommendations for consultation with the relevant Victorian Aboriginal
groups and communities are supported. We Aboriginal people genuinely would like to be involved in the
management of land and waters but do not want to be used as leverage for the implementation of the
ECCs recommendations.
Protection of the Box-Ironbark Forests and Woodlands ecosystem is one of our major priorities. We
support the ECCs focus on protection and re-vegetation of the Box-Ironbark Forests and Woodlands
ecosystem. Aboriginal people have an inherent responsibility to care for country. The involvement of
Aboriginal people at all levels of land and water management will benefit the whole community.
Aboriginal people have nurtured the environment for thousands of years. The environment is being
destroyed by Western methods and industries. The Aboriginal methods for land and water management
should be considered as they worked for thousands of years before European contact and the
introduction of Western methods.
While the ECCs actions are commendable it must be recognised that Aboriginal people have had grave
concerns for the environment since European contact and unfortunately have been excluded from land
and water management since this time. Without proper land and water management future generations
will be severely disadvantaged.
Governments, relevant authorities, organisations and society in general must not allow further
destruction of the environment to continue. All parties who share an interest in the survival of land and
water should share the same view and make it their priority also.
Unfortunately we cannot turn back the clock and change what has happened to the environment. Now is
the time to try and prevent further degradation and destruction of the environment and its inhabitants.
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