Stephanie Spry "Engaging Peri-urban Landholders in NRM"

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RM Consulting Group: Stephanie Spry, Shayne Annett, Simon McGuinness Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority: Stephen Thuan Engaging Peri-Urban Landholders in NRM Tuesday 8 th July 2014

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International Conference on Peri-Urban Landscapes: Water, Food and Environmental Security, Sydney, Australia, July 8-10, 2014. Stephanie Spry Presentation

Transcript of Stephanie Spry "Engaging Peri-urban Landholders in NRM"

Page 1: Stephanie Spry "Engaging Peri-urban Landholders in NRM"

RM Consulting Group: Stephanie Spry, Shayne Annett, Simon McGuinness Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority: Stephen Thuan

Engaging Peri-Urban Landholders in NRM

Tuesday 8th July 2014

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Managing natural resources in peri-urban landscapes

• Characteristics of peri-urban landscapes

• The challenges- Addressing competing government priorities

- The high number and diversity of landholders

- Using the right mix of landholder engagement approaches

• Implications of the challenges- Higher costs

- Setting natural resource management targets

• What can we do?- Factor these challenges into project planning

- Learn from past experience

- Identify and understand the target audience

- Try new and innovative approaches

- Use adaptive management

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Characteristics of peri-urban landscapes

• High distribution of natural assets

• Urban/rural interface

• Large variety of land uses

• Dynamic and transitional- New and diverse communities

- Rapid land use change

• Development pressure- High population growth

- Smaller lot sizes (fragmentation)

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URBAN RURALPERI-URBAN

35%

35%19%

11%

Source: landholder survey results HPAC – land use

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The challenges

• Addressing competing government priorities- Environmental conservation

- Managing housing availability and affordability

- Recreation and open space

- Industry and agriculture

• High number and diversity of landholders- Varied environmental awareness and interest

- Range of property aspirations

- Varied knowledge and skills in natural resource management

- New to the area, likely to be less connected to the local community

- Spend less time on their property

- Derive most income off the property

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The challenges

• Using the appropriate mix of landholder engagement approaches- Conventional rural approaches will not work (as the stand alone approach)

- Who is doing the engagement matters

- Communication channels and networks are important

- Perceived benefit of doing environmental works (from landholder perspective)

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Implications of the challenges

• Higher costs- More landholders to engage (compared to rural area of same size)

- A variety of approaches will be required

- Capital costs likely to be greater (more smaller projects, external contractors)

• Setting natural resource management targets- Drivers of landholder behavior and it’s affect on likely participation rates

- Developing biophysical targets in isolation from landholder engagement targets

- Competitive nature of funding and investment programs

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What can we do?

• Factor these challenges into project planning- Cost and budget

- Target setting

- Understanding drivers and barriers to landholder participation

• Learn from past experience- Many others are facing these challenges – not a unique problem

- Numerous reviews and evaluations have already been completed

- Look outside your own backyard

• Identify and understand the target audience- Know who you are trying to engage, their motivations, drivers and values

- Use local champions (e.g. LG environment officer), ABS data, community profiling, baseline surveys

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What can we do?

• New and innovative approaches- Tapping into groups/networks not related to natural resource management (e.g.

local child care, pony club)

- Non conventional approaches – weekend markets, messaging, delivery of engagement activities

• Adaptive management- Flexibility in the delivery of landholder engagement activities

- Adequate review points

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