Development of a Typology of Engagement in Natural Resource Management for the Western Catchments of South East Queensland

Smith TF¹*, Fisher J², Darbas T², Bellamy J¹ and Hall C²

1. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, St Lucia, Australia
2. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Toowoomba, Australia

Over the last few years, regional governance has emerged as a modus operandi for community-based natural resource management (NRM) throughout Australia. One of the challenges for the actors involved in the new governance arrangements is the effective engagement of stakeholders in both NRM decision-making and the adoption of sustainable landuse practices. This challenge is compounded in peri-urban areas along much of Australia’s eastern seaboard, which are undergoing substantial landuse and demographic changes (eg. emergence of lifestyle small acreage blocks). The South East Queensland Western Catchments (SEQ WC) is one such area undergoing transition in terms of changes in landuse and increase in population (which is expected almost double within the next 20 years).

To date, there has been limited rationale in the selection of an appropriate mix of engagement tools for stakeholder engagement in NRM in the SEQ WC. A collaborative research project involving CSIRO, the Queensland government and the SEQ WC regional body has been initiated to improve the capacity for sustained and effective engagement for NRM in SEQ WC. Of significance to the understanding required for matching appropriate and effective engagement tools has been the development of a typology of engagement. The typology provides a rational basis for the selection of engagement tools for maximum participation and impact. Furthermore, methodology used to develop the typology has wide transferability to the design, conduct and assessment of engagement processes in other areas and fields.

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