Both in Australia and globally, Indigenous Peoples play a critical role in retention of biodiversity. However, until recently, their importance has been overlooked or brushed aside. We have been undertaking research to improve understanding the extent of their influence globally and trying to provide evidence that the interests of Indigenous Peoples, and their world view, needs to be accommodated into national and global conservation policy and practice. Among our principal tools is a global map of Indigenous Peoples lands drawn from open source information in 2018 and available upon request, while emphasising that the map is only useful for large scale analyses because some of the data it consolidates needs on-ground verification.
Meet the team
- Stephen Garnett
- Kerstin Zander
Publications
Kegamba, J. J., Sangha, K. K., Garnett, S. T. 2022. A Review of Conservation-Related Benefit-Sharing Mechanisms in Tanzania Global Ecology and Conservation 33: e01955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01955.
Bhatta, M., Garnett, S. T., & Zander, K. K. 2022. Exploring options for a PES-like scheme to conserve red panda habitat and livelihood improvement in western Nepal Ecosystem Services 53: 101-388.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101388
Bhatta, M., Zander, K. K., & Garnett, S. T. 2022. Governance of forest resource use in western Nepal: Current state and community preferences Ambio : 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01694-9
Fisher, R., Heckbert, S., & Garnett, S. 2021. Reframing Wildfire Simulations for Understanding Complex Human-Landscape Interactions in Cross-Cultural Contexts: A Case Study from Northern Australia Fire 4(3): 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire4030046
Fernandez-Llamazares, A., Lepofsky, D., Lertzman, K., Armstrong, C.G., Brondizio, E.S., Gavin, M.C., Lyver, P.O., Nicholas, G.P., Pascua, P., Reo, N.J., Reyes-Garcia, V., Turner, N.J., Yletyinen, J., Anderson, E.N., Balee, W., Carino, J., David-Chavez, D.M., Dunn, C.P., Garnett, S., Greening, S. 2021. Scientists' Warning to Humanity on Threats to Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems Journal Of Ethnobiology 27(1): 71-84. https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-41.2.144
Fa, J. E., Watson, J. E. M., Leiper, I., Potapov, P., Evans, T. D., Burgess, N. D., Molnár, Z., Fernández‐Llamazares, Á., Duncan, T., Wang, S., Austin, B. J., Jonas, H., Robinson, C. J., Malmer, P. , Zander, K. K., Jackson, M. V., Ellis, E., Brondizio, E. S. and Garnett, S. T. 2020. Importance of Indigenous Peoples’ lands for the conservation of Intact Forest Landscapes Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 18(3): 135-140. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2148
O'Bryan, C. J., Garnett, S. T., Fa, J. E., Leiper, I. & Rehbein, J. A et al. 2020. The importance of indigenous peoples lands for the conservation of terrestrial mammals Conservation Biology 35(3): 1002-1008. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13620
Austin B. J., Robinson C. J., Mathews D., Oades D., Wiggin A., Dobbs R. J., Lincoln G. and Garnett S. T. 2019. An Indigenous-Led Approach for Regional Knowledge Partnerships in the Kimberley Region of Australia Human Ecology 47: 577-588. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-019-00085-9
Austin B. J., Robinson C. J., Tofa M. and Garnett S. T. 2019. Investor aspirations for Indigenous land and sea management in Australia. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 26: 156-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2019.1579002
Garnett S.T., Burgess N.D., Fa J.E., Fernández-Llamazares Á., Molnár Z., Robinson C.J., Watson J.E.M., Zander K.K., Austin B., Brondizio E.S., Collier N.F., Duncan T., Ellis E., Geyle H., Jackson M.V., Jonas H., Malmer P., Mcgowan B., Sivongxay A. and Leiper I. 2018. A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation. Nature Sustainability 1: 369. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0100-6
Duncan, T., Villareal-Rosas, J., Carwardine, J., Garnett, S.T. and Robinson, C.J. 2018. Influence of environmental governance regimes on the capacity of Indigenous Peoples to participate in conservation management. Parks 24: 87-101. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2018.PARKS-24-2TD.en
Austin, B.J., Robinson, C.J., Fitzsimons, J.A., Sandford, M., Ens, E.J., Macdonald, J.M., Hockings, M., Hinchley, D.G., McDonald, F.B., Corrigan, C., Kennett, R., Hunter-Xenie, H. and Garnett, S.T. 2018. Integrated Measures of Indigenous Land and Sea Management Effectiveness: Challenges and Opportunities for Improved Conservation Partnerships in Australia Conservation and Society 16: 372. https://doi.org/10.4103/cs.cs_16_123
Austin, B.J. and Garnett, S.T. 2018. Perspectives on success from indigenous entrepreneurs in Northern Australia. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business 33: 176-20. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJESB.2018.090134
Leiper, I. , Zander, K.K., Robinson, C.J., Carwadine, J. , Moggridge, B.J. and Garnett, S.T. 2018. Quantifying current and potential contributions of Australian indigenous peoples to threatened species management. Conservation Biology 0: 1-10. https://10.1111/cobi.13178
Renwick, A.R., Robinson, C.J., Garnett, S.T., Leiper, I., Possingham, H.P. and Carwardine, J. 2017. Mapping Indigenous land management for threatened species conservation: An Australian case-study PloS One 12: e0173876. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173876
Zander, K.K., Dunnett, D.R., Brown, C., Campion, O., Daniels, C., Daniels, G., Nelson, E., Daniels, G., Blitner, G., Carson, D. and Garnett, S.T. 2014. Indigenous natural and cultural resources management and mobility in Arnhem Land, northern Australia Human Ecology 42: 443-453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-014-9657-5
Zander, K. K., Austin, B. J., & Garnett, S. T. 2014. Indigenous Peoples’ Interest in Wildlife-Based Enterprises in the Northern Territory, Australia. Human Ecology 42: 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-013-9627-3.
Zander, K.K., Dunnett, D.R., Brown, C., Campion, O. and Garnett, S.T. 2013. Rewards for providing environmental services - where indigenous Australians' and western perspectives collide. Ecological Economics 87: 145-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.12.029
Austin, B. and Garnett, S.T. 2011. Indigenous wildlife enterprise: mustering swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in northern Australia. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy 5: 309-323. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506201111177343
Campbell, D., Burgess, C.P., Garnett, S.T. and Wakerman, J. 2011. Potential primary health care savings for chronic disease care associated with Australian Aboriginal involvement in land management. Health Policy 99: 83-89.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.07.009
Ahmed, N., Garnett, S.T. and Zander, K.K. 2011. Socioeconomic aspects of rice-fish farming in Bangladesh: opportunities, challenges and production efficiency Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 55: 199-219. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8489.2011.00535.x
Zander, K.K. and Garnett, S.T. 2011. The economic value of environmental services on Indigenous held lands in Australia PLoS ONE 6: e23154. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0023154
Ahmed, N. and Garnett, S.T. 2010. Sustainability of freshwater prawn farming in rice fields in southwest Bangladesh Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 34: 659-679. https://doi.org/10.1080/10440046.2010.493397
Wood, R. and Garnett, S.T. 2009. An assessment of environmental sustainability in Northern Australia using the ecological footprint and with reference to Indigenous populations and remoteness. Ecological Economics 68: 1375-1384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.09.008
Garnett, S.T., Sithole, B., Whitehead, P., Burgess, P., Johnstone, F. and Lea, T. 2009. Healthy Country, Healthy People: policy implications of links between Indigenous human health and environmental condition in Tropical Australia. Australian Journal of Public Administration 68: 53-66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8500.2008.00609.x
Gorman, J. and Garnett, S.T. 2009. Research, collaboration and community development – evolution of a partnership. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts 40148: 86-103.
Christina M. Kennedy, Brandie Fariss, James R. Oakleaf, Julia E. Fa, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Joseph Kiesecker. 2023. Indigenous Peoples’ lands are threatened by industrial development; conversion risk assessment reveals need to support Indigenous stewardship One Earth 6: 1032-1049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.07.006
Beattie, M., Fa, J. E., Leiper, I,. Fernández_Llamazares, À,. Zander, K. K., Garnett, S. T. 2023. Even after armed conflict, the environmental quality of Indigenous Peoples' lands in biodiversity hotspots surpasses that of non-Indigenous lands Biological Conservation 286: . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110288
Pratzer, M., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Meyfroidt, P., Krueger, T., Baumann, M., Garnett, S. T., & Kuemmerle, T. 2023. Agricultural intensification, Indigenous stewardship and land sparing in tropical dry forests Nature Sustainability 6: 671-682. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01073-0
Kegamba, J. J., Sangha, K. K., Wurm, P. A. S., & Garnett, S. T. 2023. Conservation benefit-sharing mechanisms and their effectiveness in the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem: local communities’ perspectives Biodiversity and Conservation 32: 1901-1930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-023-02583-1
Kennedy, C. M., Fariss, B., Oakleaf, J. R., Garnett, S. T., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Fa, J. E., Baruch-Mordo, S., & Kiesecker, J. 2022. Indigenous Lands at Risk: Identifying Global Challenges and Opportunities in the Face of Industrial Development Research Square : . https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1202963/v2
Estrada, A., Garber, P. A., Gouveia, S., Fernández-Llamazares, Á., Ascensão, F., Fuentes, A., Garnett, S. T., Shaffer, C., Bicca-Marques, J., Fa, J. E., Hockings, K., Shanee, S., Johnson, S., Shepard, G. H., Shanee, N., Golden, C. D., Cárdenas-Navarrete, A., Levey, D. R., Boonratana, R., Dobrovolski, R., Chaudhary, A., Ratsimbazafey, J., Supriatna, J., Kone I., and Volampeno, S. 2022. Global importance of Indigenous Peoples, their lands, and knowledge systems for saving the world’s primates from extinction Science Advances 8(32): . https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn2927
Abdullah, A.N., Myers, B., Stacey, N., Zander, K.K., and Garnett, S.T. 2017. The impact of the expansion of shrimp aquaculture on livelihoods in coastal Bangladesh. Environment, Development and Sustainability 19: 2093-2114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-016-9824-5
Abdullah, A.N.M., Stacey, N., Garnett, S. T. and Myers, B. 2016. Economic dependence on mangrove forest resources for livelihoods in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Forest Policy and Economics 16: 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2015.12.009
Garnett, S.T., Crowley, G.M., Hunter-Xenie, H.M., Kozanayi, W., Sithole, B., Palmer, C., Southgate, R. and Zander, K.K. 2009. Transformative knowledge transfer through empowering and paying community researchers Biotropica 41: 571–577. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2009
Pérez‐Hämmerle, K. V., Moon, K., Venegas‐Li, R., Maxwell, S., Simmonds, J. S., Venter, O., ... & Watson, J. E. 2022. Wilderness forms and their implications for global environmental policy and conservation Conservation Biolog 36(4): e13875. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13875
Singh, R. K., Singh, A., Kumar, S., Sheoran, P., Jat, H. S., Sharma, P. C., Sharma, D. K., Hazarika, B. N., Bhowmik, S. N., Sureja, A. K., Bhardwaj, R., Hussain, S. M., Singh, D., Raju, R., Rallen, O., Lego, Y. J., Zander, K. K., Mathew, S., Garnett, S. T. 2022. Experimental co-production of knowledge to adapt to environmental change in northern India Environmental Science and Policy 136: 357-368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.06.017
Jonas, H., Ahmadia,G. N., Bingham, H. C.,Briggs, J., Butchart, S. H. M., CariÃo,J., Chassot,O., Chaudhary, S., Darling, E. S., Degemmis, A., Dudley, N., Fa, J. E., Fitzsimons,J. A., Garnett, S. T., Geldmann, J., Kroner, R. G., Gurney, G., Harrington, A. R., Himesâcornell, A., & Hockings, M. 2021. Equitable and effective area-based conservation: Towards the conserved areas paradigm Parks 27.1: . https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2021.PARKS-27-1HJ.en
Waldron, A., Adams, V., Allan, J., Arnell, A., & Asner, G., et al. 2020. Protecting 30% of the planet for nature: costs, benefits and economic implications Impact of 2019–(2020) mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat Nature Ecology & Evolution 4(10): 1321--1326. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1
Lilleyman, A., Garnett, S.T., Rogers, D.I., and Lawes, M. J. 2016. Trends in relative abundance of the eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) in Darwin, Northern Territory. Stilt 23: 25-30.
Singh, R.K., Singh, A., Garnett, S.T., Zander, K.K., Lobsang and Tsering, D. 2015. Paisang (Quercus griffithii): a Keystone Species in Sustainable Agroecosystem Management and Livelihood Adaptation in Arunachal Pradesh, India Environmental Management 55: 187-204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0383-y
Stacey, N., Izurieta, I. and Garnett, S.T. 2013. Jointly measuring performance in the joint management of protected areas in northern Australia Ecology and Society 18: 19. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05273-180119
Zander, K.K., Parkes, R., Straton, A. and Garnett, S.T. 2013. Water ecosystem services in northern Australia- how much are they worth and who should pay for their provision? PLoS ONE 8(5): e64411. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064411
Izurieta, A., Petheram, L., Stacey, N. and Garnett, S.T. 2012. Costs of participatory monitoring and evaluation of jointly managed protected areas in the Northern Territory, Australia Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 20: 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2012.726130
Cunningham, A.B, Garnett, S.T., Gorman, J., Courtenay, K. and Boehme, D. 2009. Eco-enterprises and Terminalia ferdinandiana: “best laid plans” and Australian policy lessons. Economic Botany 63: 16-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-008-9208-y
Cunningham, A., Garnett, S. & Gorman, J. 2009. Policy lessons from practice: Australian bush products for commercial markets. GeoJournal 74: . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-008-9208-y
van Oosterzee, P. and Garnett, S.T. 2008. Seeing REDD: principles and possible opportunities in northern Australia. Public Administration and Development 28: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.511