Using Indigenous mental models to conceptualise and report on ecosystems services and benefits

Silva Larson; Diane Jarvis; Nywaigi Traditional Owners,

doi:10.1080/26395916.2026.2620240

Back

Using Indigenous mental models to conceptualise and report on ecosystems services and benefits

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Using Indigenous mental models to conceptualise and report on ecosystems services and benefits

Silva Larson, Diane Jarvis and Nywaigi Traditional Owners,

Ecosystems and People, Vol.22(1), pp.1-17

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2026.2620240

Files and links (1)

pdf

Using Indigenous mental models to conceptualise and report on ecosystems services and benefits3.11 MBDownload View

Published Version Open Access CC BY V4.0

Abstract

ecosystem services and disservices

First Nations

Indigenous

SEEA EA

traditional owners

wetland restoration

We explore relations between Indigenous and the Western conceptualisation of flows of services from nature to people, and specifically, flow of ecosystem services as per SEEA-EA accounting framework developed and promoted by the United Nations. This case study was a partnership with the Nywaigi Traditional Owners from North Queensland Australia and was conducted as a series of workshops with the Nywaigi representatives. We present Nywaigi conceptualisation of the ecosystem services (and disservices) linked to Mungalla Station on their Country. Starting from the Western point of view, we introduce 'crosswalk' from SEEA-EA ecosystem services to Nywaigi conceptualisation; and starting from Nywaigi perspective, 'mental map' that links Nywaigi wellbeing to SEEA-EA framework. Our findings indicate that some of the concepts are very similar between First Nation and SEEA-EA, and confirm importance to Nywaigi Traditional Owners of circular and interconnected conceptualisation of the nature-people system and of longer conceptualisation of time. Suggestions on further modifications to conceptualisations of nature-people-nature system are presented, and the temporal scale of expected changes is discussed. Specifically, we discuss concepts of flows of services from nature to nature; category of disservices - explicit recognition that ecosystem flows can be beneficial but also detrimental for human wellbeing, both physical and mental/spiritual; and important role of outside influences (capitals other than natural capital) in determining the actual use of what ecosystem services might be supplying. Our findings present empirical evidence of alternative conceptualisations that emphasise continually unfolding processes and relations.

Details

Title: Using Indigenous mental models to conceptualise and report on ecosystems services and benefits
Authors: Silva Larson (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Diane Jarvis - James Cook University
Nywaigi Traditional Owners, (Author)
Publication details: Ecosystems and People, Vol.22(1), pp.1-17
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1080/26395916.2026.2620240
ISSN: 2639-5916
Copyright note: © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Grant note: This work was supported with funding by the Commonwealth Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW), through the Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration Benefits Measurement, Verification and Accounts Program.
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991223826902621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

1 Record Views