Reclaiming Indigenous Governance


Book Description

Reclaiming Indigenous Governance examines the efforts of Indigenous peoples in four important countries to reclaim their right to self-govern. Showcasing Native nations, this timely book presents diverse perspectives of both practitioners and researchers involved in Indigenous governance in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (the CANZUS states). Indigenous governance is dynamic, an ongoing relationship between Indigenous peoples and settler-states. The relationship may be vigorously contested, but it is often fragile—one that ebbs and flows, where hard-won gains can be swiftly lost by the policy reversals of central governments. The legacy of colonial relationships continues to limit advances in self-government. Yet Indigenous peoples in the CANZUS countries are no strangers to setbacks, and their growing movement provides ample evidence of resilience, resourcefulness, and determination to take back control of their own destiny. Demonstrating the struggles and achievements of Indigenous peoples, the chapter authors draw on the wisdom of Indigenous leaders and others involved in rebuilding institutions for governance, strategic issues, and managing lands and resources. This volume brings together the experiences, reflections, and insights of practitioners confronting the challenges of governing, as well as researchers seeking to learn what Indigenous governing involves in these contexts. Three things emerge: the enormity of the Indigenous governance task, the creative agency of Indigenous peoples determined to pursue their own objectives, and the diverse paths they choose to reach their goal.










Murray-Darling Basin, Australia


Book Description

Murray-Darling Basin, Australia: Its Future Management is a much-needed text for water resources managers, water, catchment, estuarine and coastal scientists, and aquatic ecologists. The book first provides a summary of the Murray-Darling River system: its hydrology, water-related ecological assets, land uses (particularly irrigation), and its rural and regional communities; and management within the Basin, including catchments and natural resources, water resources, irrigation, environment, and monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, the recent major water reforms in the Basin are discussed, with a focus particularly on the development and implementation of the Basin Plan. Murray-Darling Basin, Australia: Its Future Management then provides an analysis of the next set of policy and institutional reforms (environmental, social, cultural and economic) needed to ensure the Basin is managed as an integrated system (including its water resources, catchment and estuary) capable of adapting to future changes. Six major challenges facing the Basin are identified and discussed, particularly within the context of predicted changes to the climate leading to an increased frequency of drought and a hotter and dryer future. Finally, a 'road map' or 'blueprint' to achieve more integrated management of the Basin is provided, together with some 'key lessons' of relevance to others involved in the management of multijurisdictional river Basins. - Provides a consolidated account of the Murray-Darling Basin system; an area of global relevance to those interested in rebalancing river systems where the water resources have been over allocated - Offers a detailed analysis of the current system and its management, with a focus on water and ecosystem management - Discusses a number of key challenges, particularly those related to climate change, facing future reforms to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan - Provides a blueprint for changes needed to ensure the Basin is managed as an integrated whole (from catchment to coast)




Wetlands in a Dry Land


Book Description

In the name of agriculture, urban growth, and disease control, humans have drained, filled, or otherwise destroyed nearly 87 percent of the world’s wetlands over the past three centuries. Unintended consequences include biodiversity loss, poor water quality, and the erosion of cultural sites, and only in the past few decades have wetlands been widely recognized as worth preserving. Emily O’Gorman asks, What has counted as a wetland, for whom, and with what consequences? Using the Murray-Darling Basin—a massive river system in eastern Australia that includes over 30,000 wetland areas—as a case study and drawing on archival research and original interviews, O’Gorman examines how people and animals have shaped wetlands from the late nineteenth century to today. She illuminates deeper dynamics by relating how Aboriginal peoples acted then and now as custodians of the landscape, despite the policies of the Australian government; how the movements of water birds affected farmers; and how mosquitoes have defied efforts to fully understand, let alone control, them. Situating the region’s history within global environmental humanities conversations, O’Gorman argues that we need to understand wetlands as socioecological landscapes in order to create new kinds of relationships with and futures for these places.




Australian Coastal Systems


Book Description

This book describes the entire coast and beaches and barrier systems of Australia. It covers the coastal processes and systems that form and impact Australia's 30.000 km coast, 12.000 beaches and 2750 barrier systems. These processes include geology, geomorphology, climate, waves, tides, currents, sediment supply, as well as coastal ecosystems. The coast is divided into tropical northern and southern temperate provinces, within which are seven divisions, 23 regions and 354 coastal sediment compartments each of which is described in detail in the 34 chapters. Within these systems are the full range of wave through tide-dominated beaches and barriers ranging from cheniers to massive transgressive dune systems together with a range of onshore and longshore sand transport systems. This is an up to date reference for the entire coast, its present condition and likely responses to the impacts of climate change.




The Murray


Book Description

Form and flow of the river - Groundwater - Salinity - River salinity - Water quality - Wetlands - Red gum forests - Floodplain vegetation - Phytoplankton - Waterplants - Crayfish - Mussels - Waterbirdsds__




Coastal Reservoir Technology and Applications


Book Description

Coastal Reservoir Technology and Applications presents the analyses showing that the world is not running out of water, but water is running out of river mouths—we need to work to harness this resource. Compared with inland water storages and desalination technology, coastal reservoirs are a nature-based water solution without disturbing the environment. This book mainly answers the questions of what the coastal reservoir technology is, where we should construct coastal reservoirs, and how to supply sufficient, high-quality and affordable water to the world with minimum environmental/social impacts. Chapter 1 reviews modes of water resources development in the history along with current problems and reasons. Chapter 2 discusses the definition of coastal reservoirs, its classifications and applications, and the SPP/downstream water management strategy. Other chapters analyse water crisis in every continent, as well as their water solutions. The possible coastal reservoir for each major river is suggested as well. Without freshwater, no one can survive. Likewise, without sufficient, high-quality and affordable freshwater, no community can achieve sustainable development. However, water is also a killer when it is too much (floods), too dirty (pollution), and too turbid. Different from other books, this resource shows how to solve these water problems. Coastal reservoirs and SPP strategy are suggested to develop floodwater in a safe way in coastal and inland regions, respectively. Solution of water-food-energy-ecosystem nexus needs a paradigm shift from upstream to downstream water management, i.e., from mountainous dams to coastal reservoirs, which conserves the precious, clean freshwater in seawater environment. - Provides an analysis of every large river in the world to help users determine the feasibility of using a coastal reservoir in each location - Presents a global coverage, including case studies where this technology has already been implemented - Authored by a world expert on coastal reservoirs, with several patents in the area




Quaternary History of the Coorong Coastal Plain, Southern Australia


Book Description

This book provides an up-to-date overview of the Quaternary geological and geomorphological evolution of the Coorong Coastal Plain region and its significance in a global context for understanding long-term records of Quaternary sea-level changes. The Coorong Coastal Plain in southern Australia is a natural laboratory for examining the response of coastal barrier landscapes to relative sea-level changes. The region provides direct evidence of coastal sedimentation during successive interglacials over the past 1 million years, as well as more recent volcanism. The region has received international focus and attracted scientists from around the World, with interests in long-term coastal evolution, sea-level changes, Quaternary dating methods and geochronology, soil development, temperate carbonate sedimentation, karst geomorphology and geologically recent volcanism.