Sharing, learning and working together: on Country learning

Project Description

AABR National Forum 2024 – The R’s of Restoration

Sharing, learning and working together: On Country Learning – Ben Cullen, Chelsea Cooke and Renee Sweetman

Ben Cullen works with Trust for Nature. TFN works with private land protection using conservation covenants. Ben talks about the Warreen Beek Rangers Course.

Some years ago the CMA contacted traditional owner elders and community members asking them to suggest what programs they wanted. The responses had one common thing, which was to seek a ticket of accreditation for community members so they could work on country and use their knowledge.

The concept of the course was a Certificate III Conservation and Ecosystem management course which would be completed on country, expose people to different environmental issues and provide the opportunity to share knowledge. It would be for First Nations people, both young people and elders together. It would be free and run for a year. It was important to take into account people’s knowledge and share that, and provide the opportunity to work on both public and private land.

The course was given the name Warreen Beek Rangers by the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. Ben talks about the development of the course. Ben is joined by Ben, Daren, Chelsea and Renee, who talk about the course and what it meant for them.