Professor Bob Wasson presents ’Deforestation and catchment response in Timor-Leste: convergence of community views and science or delusion?’ on Friday 17 November from 1pm to 2pm.
The Timor Leste government is concerned that deforestation and upland erosion is negatively affecting the rivers and coastal resources of this mountainous country. Set within the bounds of this upland-lowland debate, consultation with focus groups in four centres within the catchment of the Laclo River resulted in a generally consistent set of concerns and explanations from the local people.
In his presentation, Professor Wasson will provide analysis of the comparison of local and scientific understanding in the Laclo catchment within the ongoing debate about whether or not traditional/indigenous/local knowledge is different from scientific/universal knowledge.
Professor Wasson is a geomorphologist who has specialised in: palaeo-environmental reconstruction in the deserts of Australia and South Asia; the impact of land use on soils and river catchment processes in Australia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia and East Timor; and the development of trans-disciplinary research methods.
After a career in CSIRO (Australia), Professor Wasson was director of the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at the Australian National University and is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Charles Darwin University.
This seminar takes place in room 1, building 22 (22.01), Casuarina Campus, CDU.
Visit the School for Environmental Research website for more information about this and other SER seminars.