Date: 2010
Role: Research Fellow - Team Member (Institute for Land, Water and Society - Charles Sturt University)
Client: State Water NSW, Water for Rivers
Outline: This project entailed a review of a river restoration initiative (the Loddon Stressed Rivers Program) managed by Victoria’s North Central Catchment Management Authority. It assessed the effectiveness of the LSRP in engaging river frontage landholders and identified constraints to the implementation of the program’s recommended practices. Using qualitative interviews and mail surveys, it also identified factors influencing the level of commitment by landholders and the community to LSRP outcomes. The findings enabled the client to determine appropriate program investment levels.
Date: 2009/10
Role: Research Fellow (Institute for Land, Water and Society – Charles Sturt University)
Client: State Water NSW, Water for Rivers
Outline: This initiative aimed to improve understanding of the nature and extent of stock, domestic and riparian water use by landholders on the Murrumbidgee River between Burrunjuck Dam and the township of Balranald. The project’s mixed methodology involved the development of a questionnaire (produced on the basis of extensive qualitative interviews conducted with key stakeholders) that was mailed to a random sample of 500 landowners possessing stock, domestic and riparian water rights. The research findings assisted the client in improving its services and achieving greater certainty to water users.
Date: 2009/10
Role: Managing review phase, sub-consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting) to Cobalt Marine Consulting
Client: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Outline: Aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the 2004 National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, the review was designed to help improve the success of Australian shark conservation and management. This was achieved by providing information and methodologies for ascertaining the success of Shark Plan I while also suggesting relevant program modifications. The findings contributed to the development of Shark Plan II, which has been developed in accordance with key national and international agreements on best-practice fisheries management. Both project phases included extensive stakeholder consultation.
Date: 2007/10
Role: Research Scientist - Team Member (Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University)
Client: Landscape Logic Program and the North Central Catchment Management Authority, Victoria.
Outline: This assignment explored the nature and pace of adaptation to climate variability by private landholders in several catchments in Northern Victoria. It identified risk management frameworks employed by landholders and gathered information regarding the nature and scale of landholder adaptations to drought and climate change. The findings enabled more informed and accurate impact assessments of the adaptation process on the region’s agricultural and ecological systems. It also enabled effective community engagement in relation to climate variability strategies.
Date: 2009
Role: Sub-consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting) to Twyfords Consulting
Client: Murray Darling Basin Authority
Outline: Centered around the development of a strategy to engage stakeholders and communities affected by the Murray Darling Basin Plan, this initiative involved several components. These included the preparation of a desktop review of relevant stakeholder engagement processes, a comparison of strengths and weaknesses, and the notation of relevant innovations. It also helped increase the capacity of Authority staff to review, improve and further develop a draft stakeholder engagement strategy, and also assisted with the mentoring of the Authority’s engagement team.
Date: 2009
Role: Project Manager (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Outline: This project entailed a qualitative survey of key Australian animal and plant health stakeholders to ascertain their understanding of (and involvement and interest in) future involvement in scanning and/or strategic foresight activities involving animal and plant health issues.
Date: 2009
Role: Sub-consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting) to Twyfords Consulting
Client: ACT Chief Minister’s Department
Outline: Undertaken as part of a wider citizen-centred Government initiative of the ACT Chief Minister’s Department, this project aimed to make the government more accountable while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of policy outcomes and service delivery. Utilising methodologies including focus groups, telephone surveys, stakeholder interviews and case studies, it built a picture of community attitudes towards: community engagement and consultation generally; how well the government undertakes community engagement / consultation; ways the government could engage/consult the community more effectively; how the government could engage/consult the community regarding complex or contentious issues; how the government could make engagement/consultation processes widely accessible; barriers to effective engagement/consultation.
Date: 2007/08
Role: Consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Hassall and Associates for the Australian Government’s Natural Resource Management Division
Outline: This project involved implementing an evaluative performance story report on the ACT NRM Council investment in Greening Australia’s Land Keepers Program. It also involved an evaluation of the actual performance story (PSR) process. The tendering of social science advice and the provision of interview training, interview schedules, interview assistance and results analysis were also key aspects of ENVision’s brief, as were contributions to the draft and final reports. The project provided the AGNRM with further insights and recommendations for broader PSR applications.
Date: 2007
Role: Consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Hassall & Associates for the Victorian Department of Primary Industries
Outline: BWBL was an industry extension program that provided a best practice framework for wool and sheep meat producers. It aimed to help achieve farm business goals through participation in a range of learning activities. The evaluation assessed the BWBL program by measuring its performance and impact against stated objectives. It required the canvassing of diverse stakeholder views via scoping workshops, qualitative interviews, and quantitative survey. The evaluation identified a number of key findings regarding project design and delivery, and was positively received by the government client.
Date: 2007
Role: Consultant (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Hassall & Associates for Animal Health Australia and the Cattle Council
Outline: Designed to evaluate the National BJD Financial and Non Financial Assistance Package, this project identified both current achievements as well as opportunities for improving the program. These findings were identified using a desktop review, qualitative interviews, and a quantitative survey process involving various stakeholders. ENVision also provided social science advice on project methodology and offered support for data collection and analysis as well as identifying conclusions and recommendations.
Date: 2007/08
Role: Project Manager (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Animal Health Australia (AHA)
Outline: This project entailed conducting a public consultation process for the development of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the Land Transport of Livestock (Land Transport Standards). It also developed a consultation framework that was used for the conversion of the remaining 20 Codes of Practice into Australian Animal Welfare Standards.
Date: 2007/08
Role: Scientist (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – BRS
Outline: This project provided professional expertise and support services to the BRS with the aim of progressing various fisheries-related programs. ENVision compiled reports assessing various evaluation frameworks for fisheries co-management initiatives in Australia and reviewed the social factors affecting Australian commercial fishers use of by-catch mitigation measures. The report identified possibilities for improving the uptake of those devices and practices. It also produced briefing papers for fisheries policy-makers who were keen to examine social information and data gaps within the fishing industry as well as consider the role of co-management models for Australian fisheries.
Date: 2007
Role: Project Manager (ENVision Environmental Consulting)
Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – Food Division
Outline: Aiming to expand upon a review of past and emerging market trends affecting the Australian Food Industry’s food safety and quality assurance systems, this project assessed trends that might not typically be considered by food industry stakeholders. Relevant stakeholders were engaged through dialogues and scenario workshops to consider the global trends impacting upon the food industry and its food safety and quality assurance systems. The process examined assumptions and beliefs that the industry held about its plausible futures; sought to improve understanding across sectors of the industry about one another’s views of the future; investigated plausible futures that had not been considered; explored opportunities for different ways of operating and different responsibilities among different sectors of the industry and between industry and government; documented a set of response strategies for current and future challenges.
Date: 2006
Role: Scientist – ENVision Environmental Consulting
Client: Food Standards Australian New Zealand
Outline: This research identified, located and prepared an annotated bibliography of the social and consumer literature covering identified issues of food standards development.
Date: 2003/6
Role: BRS Social Scientist - Project Manager
Client: Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health - Animal Welfare Unit
Overview: Multi-faceted in nature, this project entailed the design and implementation of public and stakeholder consultation processes. It involved two web-based questionnaires that were used as part of the public consultation process for the Australian Government’s Live Export Standards and the Draft National Animal Welfare Strategy. A full analysis of the results and recommendations on improved consultation processes was also undertaken, with the reports used to provide information to members of the Livestock Export Advisory Committee and the Primary Industries Standing Committee. Subsequent participatory analysis was used to pinpoint and understand the broad range of stakeholders in the field of animal welfare. It identified the methods that can be used to determine stakeholders’ interests and capacities to support the Strategy, as well as information to underpin communication and engagement strategies for the national Strategy. The brief was extended to include a deeper analysis of the stakeholder environment and to identify stakeholder needs and capacities with a view to generating support for AAWS implementation.
Date: 2002/5
Role: BRS Social Scientist - Project Manager
Client: Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) – Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch and Fisheries Victoria
Outline: This project was designed to improve understanding of community views in relation to aquaculture development and management. It involved a literature review and two case studies (involving stakeholder interviews and household mail surveys) in key aquaculture regions (Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, and Port Phillip Bay, Victoria). Findings were ascertained through client consultations, presentations at key industry conferences and high-level government advisory committees, as well as extensive distribution of research reports and summaries. The project helped frame national, state and local policies to better address public concerns and build a viable and sustainable industry.
Date: 2005
Role: ENVision - Project Manager
Client: Bureau of Rural Sciences, National Land and Water Resources Audit
Outline: This project entailed a series of stakeholder interviews with Rural Research and Development Corporations to determine their needs for social and economic information. The findings were used to assist in a BRS project for the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA), which entailed the development and piloting of indicators, survey methods and tools to assess land managers’ capacity to change and adopt sustainable natural resource management practices.
Date: 2005
Role: Scientist
Client: Institute for Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University
Outline: This project identified appropriate models for community engagement training in developing countries. Information from over 200 sources was synthesised and used by Charles Sturt University in the implementation of several community engagement training programs in Laos and Thailand.
Date: 2005
Role: BRS Scientist
Client: Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health
Overview: Commissioned by the Product Integrity Animal and Plant Health (PIAPH) of DAFF, this initiative identified the biosecurity risks posed by people carrying out farming or similar activities in peri-urban areas. Three case studies of peri-urban areas were used to identify: regions undergoing land use change; groups which might pose biosecurity risks (e.g. people of non-English-speaking backgrounds, hobby and lifestyle farmers, people raising plants or animals for subsistence use, and people involved in selling, bartering or trading plant and animal products through informal means); particular types of practices; appropriate communications methods and networks. The project information assisted PIAPH’s communications with these landowners and helped to determine how best to tailor communications strategies.
Date: 2005
Role: BRS Scientist
Client: Industry Development Committee – Primary Industries Standing Committee
Overview: Entailing a review of farmer drought preparedness, this review included a synthesis of readily available published literature, previous program evaluations and survey data. The project improved understanding of the level of farmer preparedness for climate variability and the manner in which farmers make decisions regarding drought preparedness. Recommendations examined possible responses that might be undertaken to significantly lift primary producer drought preparedness.
Date: 2005
Role: BRS Scientist
Client: Department of Environment and Heritage
Overview: This toolkit was designed and implemented to assist in planning and decision-making as well as guide structural adjustment issues associated with the establishment of marine protected areas. It provided a general guide to undertaking socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA), followed by specific guidelines for assessing the potential impacts of proposed MPAs on selected sectors.
Date: 2005
Role: BRS Scientist
Client: Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Overview: Funded by the Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building, this project examined farmer participation in capacity-building activities and identified sources of data on participation rates. It helped the client to identify investment priorities and better target capacity-building activities for Australian farmers while also fostering the involvement of under-represented groups. The project generated quantitative measures of baseline participation rates by industry sectors, type of capacity building activity, region, and demographic groupings such as age, gender, educational level and income.
Date: 2004
Role: BRS Scientist
Client: Department of Environment and Heritage
Overview: This project examined: attitudes to environmental philanthropy of people moving to coastal and key regional areas; impediments to private sector nature conservation; likely take-up rates of four potential tax changes; the drivers and recommend best approaches to increase involvement in private sector nature conservation of land with high aesthetic value. Data was collected through a literature review, interviews with key informants in government, NGO and philanthropic organisations as well as landholders in New South Wales and Victoria. The Department of Environment and Heritage used the information to build effective partnerships between the government, the community and individuals as well as garnering support for the design of appropriate strategies, incentives and mechanisms to encourage greater adoption of conservation practices and environmental philanthropy.
Date: 2003
Role: Scientist
Client: Land and Water Australia
Overview: This project was designed to ascertain the skill level and training requirements of regional groups responsible for developing Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) plans under the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and the extension of the Natural Heritage Trust. It also considered broader issues related to capacity-building for INRM. Data was collected via a literature review, key informant interviews, and interaction with regional group staff members. The project also produced recommendations for improving capacity-building activities.
Date: 2003
Role: BRS - Project Manager
Client: Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Overview: Entailing an interdisciplinary review of risk-related literature that took into account sociological, psychological, economic, policy and technical perspectives, this report was published as part of the RIRDC’s report series. It increased understanding of the diverse theoretical approaches to risk and risk perception, and benefited the industry by clarifying the meaning and intent of the term ‘risk’ as used by policy-makers. It also assisted policy-makers in improving their communication with stakeholder groups by alerting them to possible ambiguities in the use of the term ‘risk management’.
Date: 2001/2
Role: Consultant – ENVision Environmental Consulting
Client: BRS - Forests and Vegetation Sciences Program and DAFF Corporate
Overview: This brief saw ENVision conduct several stakeholder surveys for divisions in DAFF, including: client surveys for the National Forests Inventory (NFI), the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) and Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA)’s Management Services. These projects entailed the design of qualitative and quantitative surveys and subsequent data analysis. The projects identified stakeholder support for particular services and programs and provided suggestions for improving service and program outcomes.
Date: 2001/2
Role: Consultant – ENVision Environmental Consulting
Client: Land and Water Australia
Overview: This project required the collation of a range of social data and the formulation of performance indicators that rural research and development corporations could use to measure the social impacts of their programs.
Date: 1997
Role: Consultant – ENVision Environmental Consulting
Client: City of Adelaide
Overview: This project involved the development of key environmental indicators. These were identified via the collation and analysis of select qualitative information. These indicators were used to help the city benchmark its progress towards achieving sustainability.