Flow-Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (Flow-MER) is the CEWH's science program.
The current iteration of the Flow-MER Program commenced in July 2024.
We are working with First Nations scientists, communities and knowledge holders to support meaningful and culturally appropriate involvement in planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of Commonwealth environmental water.
First Nations knowledges and science are central to improving how environmental water is managed and allocated to care for Country.
First Nations knowledges and science in Flow-MER
First Nations peoples have enduring connections to rivers, wetlands and floodplains across the Murray-Darling Basin. Flow-MER acknowledges the importance of these connections and supports First Nations leadership, decision-making and participation across the Program.
First Nations communities determine how they want to be involved, including how their knowledges and science are shared and used. We are committed to:
- building strong, respectful and long-term relationships
- recognising, valuing and protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP)
- supporting First Nations leadership and decision-making in monitoring, evaluation and research.
Cultural Outcomes
Flow-MER includes Cultural Outcomes as a core part of the Program, alongside other thematic and area-based monitoring and research.
The inclusion of cultural values in environmental watering strengthens how practitioners monitor, evaluate and research the Murray-Darling Basin, and recognises that the Program cannot succeed without First Nations knowledges and science.
Cultural outcomes are cultural values identified by First Nations people that are influenced by the delivery of environmental water. These may include living things, important places or culturally significant activities.
Work on cultural outcomes occurs across both Basin-scale and Area-scale activities, creating opportunities for First Nations people to:
- define what cultural outcomes are on their Country
- guide how these outcomes are monitored and evaluated
- contribute to understanding how environmental watering supports cultural values.
Learn more on the Flow-MER website.
Cultural Advisors and Cultural Network
The Flow-MER Program is committed to investing in First Nations leadership and knowledges in environmental watering.
Each Flow-MER Area includes Cultural Advisor roles to support engagement and build relationships with First Nations communities.
The role of Cultural Advisors differs across Areas to reflect the diversity of Country, communities and cultural protocols.
The Cultural Network brings together First Nations people working across Flow-MER to:
- share knowledge and experiences
- inform Program design and delivery
- support connections across Basin-scale activities.
Supporting culturally appropriate practice
We have developed guidance to support respectful and meaningful engagement with First Nations people across the Flow-MER Program.
Download
This guide supports Flow-MER practitioners by outlining key principles, approaches and resources, including Indigenous rights frameworks, cultural safety, ICIP and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Webinar
Practitioner guide to working with First Nations people webinar provides an overview of the practitioner guide, including its purpose, key concepts and how it can be applied across the Flow-MER Program.
For more information on First Nations participation in the CEWH science program, email CEWHscience@dcceew.gov.au