MEDIA RELEASE: Workshops to focus on regional jobs, wet season predictions and turtle tales
Tips to combat the regional labour shortage, the latest in technology to assist land managers prepare for the upcoming wet season, and stories from land and sea are just some of the topics on offer at workshops as part of the 2021 Territory Natural Resource Management Conference.
Over two days the workshops will aim to bring together those with expertise in Indigenous cultural values, agriculture, weeds, fire and threatened species.
Territory NRM Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator Emily Hinds said that the Agriculture Forum would address some of the major issues confronting land managers in the Northern Territory.
“The forum will include discussions on services and opportunities for the agricultural sector including climate, carbon, fire, weeds and the technology available to manage their businesses,” she said.
“It will also be an opportunity to hear about a new forecast product being developed by the Bureau of Meteorology and what to expect this wet season.”
Addressing the current labour shortage in the NT is high on the agenda for many land managers, with the ‘Strong recruitment for regional and remote jobs’ workshop to explore good practice in recruitment and retention for remote and regional employment.
“Attracting and retaining a skilled workforce for natural resource management jobs has always had challenges, but in recent years it's become really difficult,” Sally Clifford, General Manager, Matrix Consulting said.
“COVID-19 travel restrictions have also had an impact,” she said.
“The workshop will bring together good practice processes in recruitment and retention plus how to then tailor this to the current demands of working in the natural resources, agribusiness and land management sectors.”
The ‘Yarning session’ workshop will take people on a journey by a series of presenters from various cultural backgrounds, experiences and ages.
Students from the remote Manyallaluk School, who were winners of the 2020 NT Next Generation NRM Award will tell the story about their search for ‘Pokipain’ (echidna) and their journey to becoming excellent camera trappers and next generation rangers in the making.
Local artist Sarah Pirrie will talk about her companion guide for Darwin’s coastline, which interweaves personal narratives, historical events, places and ecological phenomena, while the Turtle Tales session will include stories about turtle research in the Amazon rainforest.
The 2021 Territory Natural Resource Management Conference is a unique three day event that showcases and celebrates natural resource management across the Territory, held from 16-18 November.
Build your conference program here
This event is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and the generous support of our Conference partners.
