The RegenNarration 179. Coming to a Head in the Kimberley (Part 2): Chris Henggeler on the donkey situation, wildlife management & microbiome mysteries
Welcome to part two of Coming to a Head in the Kimberley, featuring one of the great stories of regeneration, and one of the most spectacular regions in the world, at a time when both are acutely on the line. Join us back at Kachana Station in the East Kimberley, with award-winning regenerative pastoralist Chris Henggeler.
We pick up the conversation from part one here, on the latest with the donkey situation. Since we last visited Kachana, the state department that ordered the donkeys at Kachana be shot as pests, and the Henggeler family that has geared their behavior towards regeneration, have been in mediation at the State Administrative Tribunal. The Tribunal’s adjudication on that appeal is due before year’s end. It will carry with it the fate of the donkeys at Kachana, and with that the fate of a potential game-changer in regeneration at scale across the region – at a time when it’s desperately needed.
We talk here about the latest developments, research, language, history and other complexities on the matter - including the donkeys the Henggelers do shoot at Kachana. And we end up comparing notes on Chris’s related personal efforts with some paradigm changing health practices.
This thoughtful dialogue plunges into the intricate ties between biodiversity and domestication, sparking intriguing debates on managing both wild and domestic animals. We ponder over the immense significance of local wisdom and nature-informed decision-making in sculpting our future. It's an enlightening journey that challenges our understanding of relationships and responsibility, both towards ourselves and our planet.
Head here for automatic cues to chapter markers (also available on the embedded player on the episode web page), and a transcript of this conversation (please note the transcript is AI generated and imperfect).
This episode was recorded at Kachana Station on 23 August 2023.
Title slide: Kachana Station (pic: Anthony James).
See more photos on the episode web page, and to see more from behind the scenes, become a subscriber via the Patreon page.
Music:
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, off the soundtrack for the film Regenerating Australia.
Find more:
You can hear part one of this conversation (with photos and links), at Coming to a Head in the Kimberley: On regenerating consciousness, community and Country.
Resilient Earth, composed by Sheila Silver, featuring a piece called Shooting Ruminants, inspired by experiences
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