Dr Linda Broadhurst ‘Connecting Indigenous and Scientific Plant Names - CANCELLED

CANCELLED - further information to follow

Linda, from CSIRO, will discuss a proposal to co-develop processes and practices with Indigenous communities to connect Indigenous and scientific plant names to improve the conservation and management of our Australian flora.  The current approach to naming plants does not recognize Indigenous plant names and concepts, and fails to acknowledge the deep understanding of our biodiversity held by Indigenous Australians.

Abstract

Plant specimens housed by herbaria have underpinned our understanding of where species occur and their uses for centuries.  Plants are given names according to globally agreed, well-defined standards with each name being associated with a single physical specimen known as a type.  However, this approach to naming plants does not recognise Indigenous plant names and concepts.  Our recent pilot study using data from Warlpiri lands in the central desert indicates that less than 9% of the 170,000 plants specimens (1,700 species) that have been collected have Warlpiri plant names.  Not only does this represent a significant knowledge gap, it also fails to acknowledge the deep understanding of our biodiversity held by Indigenous Australians.  This talk will discuss our proposal to co-develop processes and practices with Indigenous communities to connect Indigenous and scientific plant names to improve the conservation and management of our Australian flora.

Biography

Dr Linda Broadhurst, Director, Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research and Director Australian National Herbarium at CSIRO National Research Collection Australia.

Linda has been working at CSIRO since 2000 after completing her PhD at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, followed by a short post-doctoral position with the then Department of Conservation and Land Management.  Her research is primarily focused on conserving and restoring the long-term prospects of Australia’s unique floral biodiversity.  Her most recent research is assisting national resource managements and non-government organisations to establish good seed sourcing and production practices to help restored populations respond to changing environments.  Linda continues to publish in national and international peer-reviewed journals with 40 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters as well as numerous reports and plain language information sheets published.  She has also been an Associated Editor with Australian Journal of Botany since 2009.