Development by design: What are our cultural and social values, and how can we protect them when it comes to development?

Large-scale natural resource development projects profoundly transform environments, communities, cultures and economies, and often generate social conflict. Impact Assessments play a critical role in limiting impacts from development projects to both the environment and the communities, but often with limited consideration of social and cultural values. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation and Nyikina Mangala Traditional Owners developed a novel framework for the integration of biodiversity, social and cultural values in the impact assessment process. The Development-by-Design decision making framework and impact analysis tool is intended to enable better decision-making and facilitate free, prior, and informed consent in the development and land use planning process. Click the picture above or here for a link to the video.