At a glance
- Defines and recognises Culturally Significant Entities (CSEs) are defined as as culturally important species and ecological communities identified by Indigenous people with authority for Country.
- Recognising CSEs Supports climate adaptation by integrating Indigenous knowledge to identify climate risks to culturally and ecologically important species and to strengthen adaptive monitoring and management.
- Governance reform is required to embed CSEs in policy and planning and recognise Indigenous Australians as rightsholders in caring for Country under climate change.
Culturally significant entities reflect an enduring relationship
Culturally Significant Entities (CSEs) are animals, plants, and ecological communities that hold importance for Indigenous cultural identity, knowledge systems, and the ongoing care of Country. In coastal environments, CSEs are closely connected to Indigenous heritage and reflect enduring relationships between people, land, and sea that remain active today.
Understanding CSEs means recognising that many species and ecological communities have cultural roles beyond their ecological or conservation status. CSEs may be part of creation stories and songlines, recognised as totems, used for food, medicine, or materials, or essential to ceremony and customary practice. They can also function as indicators of ecosystem health, aligning Indigenous knowledge with coastal monitoring and management.
A national definition of a CSE is: Culturally significant entities (CSE) are species and ecological communities to which Indigenous Australians attribute cultural value, and which are critical to their relationship with, and adaptation to, Country (land, water, sea and sky).
Brolga, known as Gurur, play an important role on Country as an indicator and reflector of the health of Country, including the presence of direct or indirect threats.
- @ NESP Resilient Landscpes.Brolga
Brolga, known as Gurur, play an important role on Country as an indicator and reflector of the health of Country, including the presence of direct or indirect threats.
@ NESP Resilient Landscpes.
The cultural significance is not limited to threatened or native species. A CSE may be common, rare, native - it can even be or non‑native: it may be valued as a cultural food or economic resource, or identified as a threat to cultural values and practices.
As place‑based cultural assets, CSEs carry both tangible and intangible values that are specific to location and community.
Despite their importance, CSEs are not recognised or managed as systematically as threatened species under existing legislation. Researchers in this area are working towards a shift in governance. This would include a move from engaging Indigenous Australians as stakeholders to recognising them as rightsholders with cultural authority, responsibilities, and decision‑making roles in caring for Country.
case studies from National Environmental Science Program Resilient Landscape Hub interactive map, that includes coastal CSEs:
the summary report on CSEs, which includes the concise national definition, supported by explanatory notes.
Improving recognition, relationships and governance
This work has also worked to strengthen the recognition of CSE in legislation and policy. Three cross cutting priorities for the future of this work are:
- climate change – the importance of integrating CSE into climate change modelling, mitigation and adaptation strategies, recognising that climate impacts can threaten both cultural and ecological values
- data and knowledge management – invest in secure data systems, national case-study repositories and culturally appropriate management of CSE knowledge, including the role of Elders as Knowledge-holders and intergenerational transfer
- self-determination and treaty – recognise that Indigenous self-determination, Treaty rights and sovereignty need to be considered in policy and legislative development.