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Current engagement practice for NRM in the SEQ western catchments
Conference presentation   Peer reviewed

Current engagement practice for NRM in the SEQ western catchments

C Hall, Timothy F Smith and T Darbas
Asia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) Natural Resource Management (NRN) Symposium: Building capacity for sustainability resource management …moving a wheelbarrow full of frogs, 2005 (Toowoomba, Australia, 28-Sep-2005–29-Sep-2005)
Regional Institute Ltd.
2005
url
http://www.regional.org.au/au/apen/2005/1/2975_hallc.htmView
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Abstract

Environmental Science and Management natural resource management
Natural resource governance in Australia has been increasingly focused on the effective engagement of stakeholders in both the decision-making and implementation processes of NRM. However, many peri-urban landscapes are in a state of transition, which makes the challenge of engagement increasingly complex. This paper details the first of three phases of research (understanding current engagement practice) relating to long-term effective community engagement for NRM. Within the South East Queensland Western Catchments (SEQ WC) engagement practitioners from a range of institutions were interviewed, current engagement practices were observed and documented, and current engagement strategies were desk-top reviewed. The key findings include: (i) engagement practitioners often perform multiple roles that may be in conflict; (ii) most engagement practitioners have little formal training in engagement; (iii) the majority of tools used are top-down and reactionary; (iv) there are examples of innovation in engagement; and (v) context is a major influence on the success or failure of an engagement initiative. Specific recommendations to improve engagement for NRM include: (i) greater training in community engagement theory; (ii) increase the target audience through alternative engagement tools; (iii) include a monitoring and evaluation component to engagement activities; (iv) continue to support innovative engagement; (v) greater coordination of engagement activities and knowledge transfer; and (vi) engagement tools must be contextually relevant. These outcomes have broader applicability for other NRM regional bodies working in transitional landscapes.

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