The integration of indigenous knowledge into mine site rehabilitation and closure planning at Ok Tedi, Papua New Guinea

A critical element of the rehabilitation strategy for the Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea is the rehabilitation of the potentially acid forming dredge sand stockpiles at Bige on the banks of the Ok Tedi. The rehabilitation objectives for Bige need to address the unique social as well as technical challenges of the site. In the affected area, agriculture is largely subsistence-based, using a system of long fallow shifting cultivation. Traditional lands and forest resources are extensively used for providing food, fibre, medicine and shelter as well as cultural services. In developing the rehabilitation strategy for Bige, information was gathered from local communities on goods and services provided by the surrounding forest, traditional vegetation and land management practices, and recognised cycles of clearing and forest regeneration. This paper describes how the information provided by customary landholders was integrated into the rehabilitation strategy and completion criteria for this part of the Ok Tedi operation.