The ACT Government has appointed Ngunnawal Traditional Custodian Bradley Bell as the ACT’s first Ngunnawal water policy officer, to help manage water health through cultural understanding of water resources and management.
“First Nations knowledge is critical to our understanding of the natural environment and sustainable management of the land and water,” Minister for Water Shane Rattenbury said.
“The wisdom that we can gain from working closely with the Ngunnawal Traditional Custodians within this region provides great depth to our activities, be it in park management, water planning, biodiversity conservation or policy development.
“I would like to welcome Bradley Bell to the ACT Government’s Environment Heritage and Water Division, where he will facilitate a close working relationship with the Ngunnawal community for the co-design of water planning and policy. I am excited that this position, along with other Ngunnawal ranger positions, will provide opportunities for bringing together contemporary science and traditional knowledge.
“As part of respecting and valuing Ngunnawal cultural values and aspirations in the management of water, the Ngunnawal people have been heavily involved in the development of the ACT Water Resource Plan, and this involvement will continue with future policy and planning work.
“We have many challenges in the water sector as we work to improve water quality and restore waterways. Over the next few years, Bradley will be working with his colleagues to explore opportunities to improve the health of our waterways for people and the environment, and to sustain an intrinsic cultural connection to water and country.”
As stated by Ngunnawal Traditional Custodian Bradley Bell:
“I’m really excited to be working with EPSDD within Conservation and Planning and Water Policy as the Ngunnawal Water Policy Officer. Over the next three years I will be working to improve collaboration with the Ngunnawal and broader ACT Community to improve the health of our waterways and environment with a Ngunnawal cultural prospective. It is really important that we have this opportunity to maintain and improve our waterways and environment for everyone to share.”
