In 2011, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) was grated funding to undertake a project to protect and incorporate traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge values in pest animal and plant management within the CMA region. Indigenous participation was a key element of the project.

As a part of the overall project, the Mallee CMA’s objective was to develop ‘glove box management cards’ for the management of specific pest species where these impact on specific Aboriginal cultural heritage places. The overall project was subdivided into two smaller projects – Pest Animals and Pest Plants.

In 2012, Mallee CMA engaged Jo Bell Heritage Services (JBHS) to facilitate the Pest Animal Management in Cultural Heritage Places components of the Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (TIEK) project.

Mallee CMA engaged JBHS again in 2014 to facilitate the Pest Plant Management in Cultural Heritage Places components of the project.

The project included facilitating sharing workshops, compiling data generated from these workshops and preparing a review document to be used as a basis for the preparation of ‘glove box management cards.’

Engagement with Traditional Owners and the wider Aboriginal community formed a critical component of the project.