Application
This unit applies to Aboriginal-sites workers and Land Managers who burn on Country as part of their job role. The unit involves and requires a high level of awareness and experience with Aboriginal culture and communities and the need to observe Aboriginal cultural protocols. It is expected that this work will be undertaken as part of a team working under supervision in most cases. Cultural beliefs and practices vary across locations and communities however and in some situations non-Aboriginal learners may not be able to access the cultural knowledge and/or materials required to achieve competency in this unit. This applies when restrictions are applied to non-Aboriginal people gaining access to cultural knowledge, material or sites. In these situations the Registered Training Organisation will have to make alternative arrangements for learners that are still consistent with the delivery and assessment requirements for this unit.
Prerequisites
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan burn activities | 1.1 Working relationships that will assist in the planning and implementation of traditional Aboriginal cultural burning on Country are developed with stakeholders 1.2 Appropriate cultural authorities are identified and consulted and approval to be on Country obtained 1.3 Cultural knowledge is accessed through the appropriate knowledge holder and/or cultural manager 1.4 A comprehensive burning plan and schedule for the total land mass is developed based on traditional cultural knowledge of seasonal conditions, Aboriginal ceremonial requirements, environmental sustainability considerations and safety concerns |
2. Protect life, property and conserve fauna and flora species in burn area | 2.1 Burn is implemented according to Aboriginal cultural burning techniques and consistent with the burn plan and schedule 2.2 Visitors are excluded from target areas, entertainment areas and areas possibly affected by smoke or risk from escaping fire 2.3 Field workers are instructed in ignition techniques and patterns, fire control and safety procedures to conduct the burn 2.4 Neighbours and agencies are advised of the intention to burn to ensure safety and maintain client relations 2.5 Aboriginal sites, assets and entertainment areas are protected according to Aboriginal cultural protocols and fire industry practices 2.6 If required, fire breaks are applied to the area to maintain control of the fire and burn intensity 2.7 Fauna in danger in the burn area is removed prior to the controlled cultural burn where possible 2.8 Flora is assessed for impact on fire-sensitive communities and species |
3. Burn defined areas | 3.1 Weather forecasts and current weather conditions are assessed to determine appropriate conditions and timing for burn 3.2 Fire is applied to targeted areas according to Aboriginal cultural burning techniques, traditional frequency and organisation requirements 3.3 Targeted areas defined by burn specification or limiting factors are defined 3.4 Area is checked to ensure all sections have received required burn in accordance with the burning plan 3.5 Assessment of burn is completed and recorded 3.6 Area burnt is monitored to organisation procedures to avoid wildfire outbreaks 3.7 Seasonal conditions and life cycles of flora and fauna are assessed for the cessation of fire practices |
Required Skills
Required skills include: Ability to: define the location and extent of fire application evaluate the cultural and economic benefits of fire management practices assess the quality of fire burns respect cultural diversity and sensitivity to social, cultural and professional values and beliefs use literacy skills to fulfil job roles as required by the organisation. The level of skill may range from reading and understanding documentation to completion of written reports use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views |
Required knowledge includes: Knowledge of: Aboriginal history, cultural values and interpersonal and Community protocols authentic and authoritative sources for Aboriginal cultural information, material and expression able to be accessed and shared traditional Aboriginal rationale and techniques for cultural burning the life cycles of flora and fauna of forests/plantations and effect of burning operations required intensity and appropriate frequency of fire sequence, location and pattern of recent and historical fire burns the dependence of the terrestrial ecosystems on fire selection of existing and construction of additional fire breaks Aboriginal ceremonial requirements for fire practices seasonal cycle of weather patterns effects of fire on human physiology emergency fire services radio communication organisational and enterprise policies and procedures for conservation of places of cultural significance Cultural and Heritage Legislation or relevant NPWS legislation sustainable environmental practices safety procedures for conducting fire operations workplace health and safety requirements |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | The delivery and assessment of this unit must comply with Community protocols and be carried out in consultation with and participation with Traditional Owners and/or Elders and custodians of that specific Country and follow any relevant Parks/Reserves policies and plan of management guidelines and culture and heritage legislation. In accordance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural knowledge copyright considerations and Aboriginal lore/law restrictions, it is essential that this requirement be respected and implemented in the delivery and assessment of Cultural Units to guarantee cultural authenticity and quality control around the delivery of training and assessment for Aboriginal-sites workers. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to: identify appropriate cultural authorities for a Community, place or for a Site develop working relationships with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal stakeholders apply traditional Aboriginal cultural burning techniques control burning operations protect life, property and conserve fauna and flora species during burning achieve the correct intensity of burn adhere to organisational safety and environmental protection policies and procedures |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment events must be contextualised to meet the needs of the particular group, including: on Country, a Community, educational or workplace setting including Aboriginal cultural keeping places involvement of people approved by cultural authorities and/or Traditional Owners of the relevant local Community candidates who have gained relevant knowledge and skills through their life experience organisational safety and environmental policies and procedures |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess competency in protecting Aboriginal places of cultural significance. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of the candidate on Country participating in all aspects of a cultural burning operation direct questioning combined with third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance verbal or written questioning Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, remote library users, etc.). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols AHCASW308A Apply cultural significance to Aboriginal sites and landscapes Assessment for this unit should comprise a combination of theory and practical application. Both aspects of assessment are best conducted on Country for this unit. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Stakeholders may include: | Aboriginal Land Councils Indigenous Ranger groups Traditional Owners and Cultural managers Aboriginal communities and Clans museums Culture and Heritage government departments and representatives National Parks personnel sites workers archaeologists anthropologists |
Cultural authorities may include: | Cultural authority refers to the most appropriate senior person/s that is able to speak for particular Country, cultural objects, ceremony and/or materials in a specific place. A cultural authority could be a Traditional Owner, a Native Title Claimant, Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Body, Elder, Aboriginal Land Council, etc. A ceremonial/cultural manager in terms of Aboriginal customary law means someone who does the work either under the direct supervision of the Aboriginal Owner or does the work that is authorised by the Owner. In a ceremony for example, the ceremonial manager(s) may provide the food and do the performance (work). Traditional roles and responsibilities swap over depending on a person’s status in any given situation – ie – whose land / estate one is on for business. |
Burning plan may include: | appropriate frequency of fire sequence, locations and pattern of recent and historical fire burns schedules and maps of burn areas seasonal cycle of weather patterns timing of ignition of burns and cessation of fire practices defining the location and extent of fire application selection of existing and construction of additional fire breaks familiarity with local landscape evaluating the cultural and economic benefits of fire management assessing the quality of fire burns safety procedures for conducting fire operations risk management of fire operations reasons for burning: cleaning out Country cultural and economic benefits ceremonial requirements species diversity species regeneration hunting methods facilitation of travelling through Country creation of fire breaks communication land ownership |
Total land mass may include: | an entire National Park/Reserve part of an entire National Park/Reserve several burn sites mapped together an Aboriginal Land Council boundary |
Ignition techniques and patterns may include: | ignition method lighting pattern ignition spacing |
Aboriginal Sites may include: | shelters with deposits open camp site midden shelter with midden shelter with art isolated find undefined sites axe grinding grooves bora/ceremonial ring burial site rock engraving scarred tree carved tree natural mythological site restricted site quarry ochre quarry fish trap stone arrangement mound (oven) mia mia waterhole (well) contact/mission abraded grooves Aboriginal Place (declared under NPW Act) Aboriginal Area (declared under NPW Act) protected archaeological site Conservation agreement massacre reserve |
Aboriginal cultural protocols may include: | gender roles in relation to knowledge and cultural practices information sensitivity and access appropriate information transfer negotiations with local Aboriginal Community about information transfer cultural diversity natural resources and their importance for economy, religion, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law. rights and responsibilities associated with cultural knowledge, story, song, Site, and ceremony interpersonal ways of relating the talking of Community politics repatriation of artefacts issues of ownership (clans/nations) ownership of intellectual property acknowledging participation and ownership communicating about cultural material displaying cultural material handling cultural material identifying appropriate people to be consulted occasions when consultation is required ways in which consultations should be conducted |
Fire breaks | existing gaps in vegetation or fuel areas barriers to slow or stop progress of fire natural features of creeks, rivers, lakes, rock walls constructed features of access tracks, roads, highways and landscaping defensible spaces |
Burn intensity may include: | low intensity burns high intensity burns |
Weather conditions to be monitored: | temperature relative humidity wind atmospheric stability rainfall seasonal cycle of weather patterns |
Burn specification or limiting factors may include: | size area location name physical landmarks ownership boundaries natural geographic locations |
Monitoring of burning | observations predictions recording fuel moisture content wind speed and direction flame height rate of spread smoke development |
Sectors
Indigenous land management
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.