Journal of Rangeland Science (JRS) Recognising the Value of Traditional Knowledge Volume 12 (2022) Issue 3, July 2022 2023 11 17 Recognising the Value of Traditional Knowledge EN Dana Kelly Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland President of the International Rangelands Committee Journal Article 2023 11 17 When I visited your beautiful country of Iran in 2018, one highlight for me was meeting two of your scholars who were both involved in CENESTA – the late Ghanimat Azhdari and her mentor, the late Taghi Farvar. Taghi had a remarkable & powerful presence. He influenced many around the world, including many of you who are here today. Ghanimat proudly described herself as the daughter of a pastoralist from southern Iran, something we shared as I too am the daughter of a pastoralist. They approached the world with a holistic lens, cognisant of the importance of socio-economic issues. They were both strong advocates for the collective rights of mobile Indigenous peoples. Their passion for Indigenous people’s knowledge and wisdom inspired the theme I wish to highlight today. The value of Indigenous or Traditional knowledge and Traditional Governance systems is starting to be recognised around the world. Today I will highlight a few projects in Australia, that indicate that how this is occurring in my country. The widespread and catastrophic fires of 2000-2019 in Australia, heightened our awareness of the value of the cultural burning practices of Aboriginal peoples. The 2000-2019 fires burnt over 77,000 square miles, which is about the area of Syria; 33 people died and approximately 1 billion animals. The need for different responses to fire was widely discussed.