Catchment Management Organisations Ingredients for success Mackay Whitsunday NRM Group Inc

1. Andrew Campbell Triple Helix Consulting6 February 2007 Catchment Management Organisations Ingredients for successMackay Whitsunday NRM Group Inc Triple Helix Consulting

2. Outline Background - work that informs my perspectives Reflections on the regional model Characteristics of leading Catchment Management Organisations (CMOs) Some Key Result Areas for leading CMOs Review of MWNRM documents against these KRAs Next Steps Triple Helix Consulting

3. My perspectives • Farming background western Victoria • Forestry & rural sociology training • Farm planning extension Vic govt • Manager, Potter Farmland Plan • National Landcare Facilitator • Development of NHT & NAP in Aust Government • 7 years as CEO of Land & Water Australia • Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors • Worked with many Catchment Management Organisations • Looking in particular (but not only) at knowledge needs • Analysing what works and why • Now out on my own again… Triple Helix Consulting

4. Lagging policies- Governments still have lots to do • getting signals right, and cost-sharing • juicier carrots and smarter sticks • clarifying property rights & responsibilities • sorting out water allocation & land clearing • C21 legislation - ecologically literate • vertical integration of governments (fixing extension) • informing and regulating markets • renovating infrastructure – climate/water/energy • new institutions at catchment/regional scale Triple Helix Consulting

5. The regional model:an integrated approach • The regional model is a world-leading effort to implement sustainable NRM at a landscape scale: it’s also a grand experiment • Devolve decision making & resource allocation to appropriate scale • Tap into and build on deep local knowledge and connection to place • Work across issues and industries in an integrated way • integration means making whole • across scales, issues, land tenures and land uses • in the users’ context • that requires comprehensive knowledge • and excellent relationships Triple Helix Consulting

6. Reflectionson the regional model • A world-leading experiment • A natural evolution in approach • Patchy success • The importance of continuity and persistence • Lots of scope for learning across regions Triple Helix Consulting

7. Supportive institutional frameworks • ‘Joined up’ Government, vertically and horizontally • Regions doing only what is best done at that scale • Durable, predictable, multi-year revenue sources • Raising their own revenue? • Responsive, tractable research and extension services • A well-honed tool-kit of policies, models, carrots & sticks • Robust business models and generic support services for the emerging business/profession of regional NRM Triple Helix Consulting

8. Improving the Regional Model • Be clear about the conditions where a regional approach is valid • Consolidate regional institutions • provide assistance with meeting minimal governance standards • streamline reporting and accountability requirements (audit etc) • sort out durable staffing arrangements (without duplicating bureaucracy) • build solid and consistent information and knowledge management systems • we don’t want 57 different rail gauges… • Clarify relationships, roles and responsibilities with all tiers of Govt • Ensure regional bodies have or have access to ‘plugged in’ people • Nourish landcare…. don’t undermine it! Be clear about where volunteers fit. • Promote partnerships with industry (e.g. Grain & Graze, SGSL, Dairy Catch) • Give them rating powers for defined (catchment) purposes • PATIENCE (we’re on a long journey, let’s get the vehicles right…) Triple Helix Consulting

9. The Regional Model and on-ground change • Remember that on-ground change happens mostly on-farm • The basic rules of adoption have not changed • complexity, observability, trialability, relative advantage, coherence(with self-image etc)still determine adoptability • look to change behaviour first - attitudes follow • But extension frameworks have changed • The leap from the individual to the catchment – and back – remains the biggest challenge Triple Helix Consulting

10. On-ground change for individuals three pillars– people need to want to change, to know what to do, and have the means to do it • commitment • influenced by sense of place and of community (local & wider) • know-how • options need to be viable and adoptable • capacity • can be helped at the margins with incentives Triple Helix Consulting

11. Adoption reality check • Old adoptability rules still apply (Pannell et al 2006) • Economic & regulatory signals remain weak • On-farm change is more likely where innovations: • Offer relative advantage over existing systems/approaches • Are not too complex • Can be trialled, tested and evaluated (preferably on a modest scale) • “Fit” with the farmer’s outlook, capacity and farming system • Offer good returns within a reasonable timeframe • But relative advantage can be defined in interesting ways…. Triple Helix Consulting

12. A farmer perspective Too many policies remain prescriptive Farmers have a strong sense of place, built on generations of land management. Partnerships with landholders, based on trust, and respectful of their sense of place are an essential precursor to more successful approaches. Tom & Cynthia Dunbabin, “Bangor” Dunalley, Tasmania, Winners of the 15th McKell Medal Triple Helix Consulting

13. The Dunbabin Sense of Place Model • Landholders’ strong sense of place drives environmental actions through responsibility towards, and passion for the place (farm, beach, mine etc). • Shared knowledge (science, cultural history etc), and broader understanding of place, greatly helps in developing and implementing positive actions. Triple Helix Consulting

14. The Dunbabin Sense of Place Model (2) Figure 2 • When legislation, or other forced change impacts on the SoP of the landholder, responsibility becomes accountability and passion becomes social stigma - driving a negative reaction rather than a positive action. • Measures such as stewardship payments have to be tailored in a way that strengthens the passion and responsibility that drive the positive actions. Triple Helix Consulting

15. The Dunbabin Sense of Place Model (3) Figure 3 • well designed programs add to the effectiveness of the original model – not overturn it... • There is no need to change the strong Sense of Place farmers or other resource users have. It is far better to enhance that by adding additional values, values shared by the wider community. Triple Helix Consulting

16. Regional bodies and on-ground change • Work out how your regional strategy and targets mesh with the various dashboards of the managers of natural resources in your region • Use your connection to the district – the place – to connect with landholders’ sense of passion and responsibility • Think about the Triple Helix - landscapes, lifestyles and livelihoods • How will the implementation of your strategy affect people’s landscapes, lifestyles and livelihoods? • And how do different groups perceive that your strategy would affect them? Triple Helix Consulting

17. MWNRM Group Inc Opportunities understand the community and its diverse strands develop a niche that complements other players Ensure all players understand where you fit pick some low hanging fruit - tangible practical actions work across the Triple Helix: landscapes, lifestyles and livelihoods Triple Helix Consulting

18. What makes a leadingCatchment Management Organisation (CMO)? • Understanding • Relationships • Positioning • Governance Triple Helix Consulting

19. Characteristics of top CMOs (1)UNDERSTANDING • Comprehensive knowledge of their clients • demography and demographic trends • who lives in the catchment, what are their drivers? • values, perceptions, hopes, fears, know-how • Tapped into the best available knowledge relevant to their strategy • sustainable land used options • best practice measures and factors affecting adoption • a useful toolkit of incentives, planning, regulation Triple Helix Consulting

20. Characteristics of top CMOs (2)RELATIONSHIPS • Understood and valued by key client groups • grassroots community volunteers • landholders and consumers of resources (e.g. tourists) • resource-using industries • all tiers of government • other relevant non-government organisations (NGOs) • Seen as adding value by these groups • Able to influence behaviour within these groups consistent with implementing the NRM Plan Triple Helix Consulting

21. Information & Knowledge FlowsSouth-West Victorian dairy farmers UDV Consumer Factories Financial institutions Dairy farmers Dairy Australia TAFE Private Ag. service consultants providers West Vic. Dairy Other govt. SWWA SRW University DPI Landcare / EPA env’t services DSE CMA’s Local govt. LWA Indigenous groups • Note no direct connect between CMA and dairy farmers • Nor from DSE or EPA to dairy farmers • Dairy Australia connect is stronger • Milk factory, DPI and consultant connect is strongest • CCMA needs to work more through Milk factory, DPI and ag service providers to get to dairy farmers

22. voluntary local landcare • Voluntary community participation remains valuable • worth a fortune in marketing terms • a crucial role in changing social norms • efficient (but not the only) platform for engaging people • good for involving non-farmers alongside farmers • If landcare erodes, the regional model will wobble • Voluntary groups and Catchment Management Organisations should be a natural partnership • We need local action and regional strategies • CMOs can minimise bureaucracy for local groups while channeling resources • CMOs can build local groups into their regional implementation plans • But must pay attention to recognition and reward efforts or local input will wither • Some regions (e.g. West Gippsland CMA) are doing this very well • Let’s learn from their successes Triple Helix Consulting

23. Resource-using industries • Industry bodies/corporates are just as important as community landcare groups & landholders • Mining, tourism and the development sector have big environmental footprints in the MWNRM region • Understand their drivers & triggers • Do your homework on their goals & strategies • Work out where NRM sits for them and what might push their buttons • Look for overlapping interests & concerns & build alliances • Offer them solutions, not problems Triple Helix Consulting

24. Characteristics of top CMOs (3)POSITIONING • Closely linked with relationships • CMO roles very well defined and clearly articulated • Including how they relate to those of each tier of Govt (especially local govt planning, zoning, rating, approvals etc) • CMO seen as adding value to the efforts of volunteers • e.g. helping them to access resources with minimal bureaucracy • providing a clear strategic framework for their efforts • valuing their contribution • Grounded in connections to place • Supported by clear and durable institutional frameworks Triple Helix Consulting

25. Characteristics of top CMOs (4)GOVERNANCE • Successful organisations are well run • they make a difference • good balance between performance and conformance • Significant public funding demands good governance • being well run, and being seen to be well run • strategy, people, finance, risk, compliance, audit • Governance • Clarity and respect for distinct roles of Board/CEO/management • Codes of conduct and sound mechanisms for conflicts of interest • Clear reporting and audit frameworks Triple Helix Consulting

26. Key points on governance • Irrespective of legal basis, organisations in receipt of millions of dollars in public (or private) funding should have: • Clear, defensible strategic direction • Sound governance framework • Professional business management & robust systems • Excellent people employed appropriately • Clear boundaries between governance and management Triple Helix Consulting

27. A governance framework • hierarchy from Board policies to Chief Executive Instructions to resource documents, templates, guidelines etc • clarifies Board’s territory • shows status of the various documents • available in hard copy or on intranet for all staff & directors • very useful induction tool

28. Governance framework Triple Helix Consulting