The Fitzgerald Biosphere (FB) is internationally and nationally recognised for its high biodiversity richness, species endemism and high level of threats, as it is part of the international Southwest Biodiversity Hotspot. An extensive renomination process from 2010 – 2017 saw a rezoning of the FB to adhere to United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) criteria.

The Walking Together project is a collaborative project aimed at bringing Noongar people and knowledge to the centre of land management work in biologically and culturally rich Noongar Boodja across the south coast. The project involves the Noongar community working closely with Western Scientists to explore traditional knowledge to Boodja and to increase opportunities for Noongar people and their Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to be applied in conservation management.

To celebrate National Science Week, the Chair of the Fitzgerald Biosphere Community Collective (FBCC) and the Walking Together project team based at the University of Western Australia (UWA) will be showcasing some local research undertaken within in the fields of Ecology, Biology and Aboriginal Science Knowledge systems.

Specialists include the FBCC Chairperson and local landscape ecologist Nathan McQuoid.

UWA Project Team: 

• Merningar Elder and UWA Adjunct Research Fellow Auntie Lynnette Knapp, 
• Professor Steve Hopper,
• Dr Alison Lullfitz,
• Ursula Rodrigues (PhD candidate, and
• Susannah Cramp (PhD candidate)

It would be handy to bring a backpack with hat, walking shoes, rain jacket and any medications needed for the day as this event will take around 4 hours, with both indoor and outdoor activities planned (weather pending).

This is a free with lunch provided. All ages welcome.