Monitoring Threatened Species and Ecological Communities

27 – Community involvement in monitoring threatened species: a WWF perspective^355

Understanding capacity

Capacity and resources of Indigenous groups differ, greatly inf luencing the nature
of their engagement with projects. WWF’s Indigenous partners in the Kimberley
and Queensland operate within both mainstream and Indigenous cultural
frameworks. Nevertheless, science-based monitoring methods can be technical
and/or novel to community members. WWF often incorporates training into its
field programs, aiming to enable Rangers to use acquired skills in this or other
projects in the future (Fig. 27.4). During sensor camera surveys, scientists provide
hands-on training in the field for camera programing, setup and collection. WWF
uses lots of visual aids including maps, diagrams and laminated PowerPoint slides,
and encourage active participation. Some groups have high employee turnover, so
repeated training may be needed during long-term monitoring programs. WWF
also offers some level of ongoing technical support, especially in analysis of data,
report writing and instigating ongoing fieldwork.

‘The camera monitoring training was very well presented and we found it

very useful. The monitoring on the northern bettongs gave us more

knowledge on different techniques like camera traps. Knowing what habitat

F i g. 2 7. 4. Discussions in-the-field with Indigenous Rangers. Photo: Jessica Koleck/Wilinggin Aboriginal
Corporation/WWF-Aus.