Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers reporting on place of potential cultural significance and defines the standard required to: survey an area for landforms and sites that may hold cultural significance; assess any physical signs, and source local information on human activity in the area, to indicate culturally significant sites; liaise with indigenous community to research indigenous history of sites and ensure cultural protocols are maintained; maintain field notes on the location and details of sites; implement protection measures pending further investigation; and development and documentation of an assessment report for places of cultural significance.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to those whose job role includes investigating and reporting on places of potential cultural significance in consultation with stakeholders and/or traditional owners. A high level of cultural awareness and the need to observe cultural protocols are important parts of the process. Note: for indigenous cultural places the delivery and assessment against this standard must comply with community protocols and guidelines and be supported by elders and custodians of country.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Investigate evidence of past activities

1.1. Movement through park/reserve is managed to minimise disturbance and degradation to the park/reserve and surrounding environments; especially in relation to known and potential places of significance; and complies with legislative requirements, Codes of Practice and the park/reserve management strategy and plan.

1.2. Land forms including caves and potential sites for rock art, flora, fauna and settings are observed to identify potential places of previous human activity which could have cultural and/or natural significance, as part of operational duties.

1.3. Signs of previous human activity are assessed and documented.

1.4. Park/reserve activities are reviewed in light of potential significance and maintained, modified or halted to enterprise procedures to maintain significance.

1.5. Where activities have or may affect the potential significance, notes and records are made of the original state of the non-indigenous activities at the place, or directions are sought from indigenous stakeholders or cultural reference group in reference to indigenous activities.

1.6. Where potential places of significance are identified, field notes are taken of location in terms of other park/reserve features, survey markers, and/or global positioning.

1.7. Reasons for identifying potential significance are recorded.

1.8. Location is referred to indigenous stakeholders or cultural reference group for any directions.

2. Implement interim protection measures

2.1. Immediate and longer-term risks associated with the conservation of the place are identified according to enterprise guidelines, relevant charters and Codes of Practice.

2.2. Interim protective measures are taken to avoid degradation, disturbance, and deterioration, and any action which may break cultural protocols.

2.3. Existing activities of personnel and visitors are modified to reduce/eliminate risks to the significance of the place.

3. Report observation

3.1. Field notes on location are collated and recorded to enterprise requirements.

3.2. Enterprise records are reviewed to reveal any existing information about the non-indigenous significance of the place.

3.3. Colleagues are notified in a report about finding and interim protective measures.

3.4. Advice is sought on the potential cultural and natural significance of the place and any additional required protective measures from indigenous stakeholders or cultural reference group, from specialists in or external to the enterprise, according to enterprise procedures.

3.5. Interim assessment of place is documented and reported to enterprise and legislative requirements and best practice guidelines and Codes of Practice.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• identify evidence of past activities
• consult with indigenous communities
• assess place of cultural significance
• implement interim protection measures
• document an assessment report
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• 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
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• types of cultural places in land based, coastal zones and/or marine parks/reserves
• threats to cultural places from both natural causes and human activity
• applicable State/Territory and Commonwealth legislation
• international, national and local standards and best practice guidelines and relevant Codes of Practice
• accepted scientific processes, including conservation processes and charters
• enterprise procedures for reporting places of potential significance
• relevant protective measures
• methods of locating position of site
• field note use.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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 evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• survey an area for landforms and sites that may hold cultural significance
• assess any physical signs, and source local information on human activity in the area, to indicate culturally significant sites
• liaise with indigenous community to research indigenous history of sites and ensure cultural protocols are maintained
• maintain field notes on the location and details of sites
• implement protection measures pending further investigation
• development and documentation of an assessment report for places of cultural significance.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Significant cultural areas may include:

• areas of non-indigenous activity
• buildings and other structures
• natural areas of indigenous cultural significance
• historical events and monuments
• areas of indigenous activity such as burial, occupation and contact sites, engravings, grinding grooves, rock pictures, fish traps, middens and mounds.

Unit sector 

Indigenous land management

Co-requisite units 

Competency field