Regional Systems Regional Systems and Grassroots NRM:and Grassroots NRM:Blackwood Basin and beyondBlackwood Basin and beyond

Graham MarshallGraham MarshallInstitute for Rural Futures, Institute for Rural Futures, University of New EnglandUniversity of New England

gmarshal@une.edu.augmarshal@une.edu.au

WA State NRM Conference, Bridgetown, WA State NRM Conference, Bridgetown, 1 April 20081 April 2008

Outline of presentationOutline of presentation How did we get here?How did we get here?

Barriers and bridges to community-based NRM Barriers and bridges to community-based NRM under regional NRM deliveryunder regional NRM delivery

Research findings from the Blackwood BasinResearch findings from the Blackwood Basin

Adapting to changeAdapting to change

Key pointsKey points

How did we get here?How did we get here?

‘‘Decade of Landcare’ sought to kick-Decade of Landcare’ sought to kick-start community-based NRM (CBNRM)start community-based NRM (CBNRM)

Local groups become seen as on-ground Local groups become seen as on-ground implementers of NRM decisionsimplementers of NRM decisions

CBNRM evolves into the purchaser-CBNRM evolves into the purchaser-provider ‘partnerships’ of NHT1provider ‘partnerships’ of NHT1

NHT1 criticised for lacking strategic NHT1 criticised for lacking strategic investment and accountabilityinvestment and accountability

Regional delivery model (NHT2 and Regional delivery model (NHT2 and NAP) introduced as the solutionNAP) introduced as the solution

‘‘Caring for our Country’ expects Caring for our Country’ expects regions to compete for fundingregions to compete for funding

Barriers and bridges for CBNRM Barriers and bridges for CBNRM under regional deliveryunder regional delivery

Three barriers for regional bodies:Three barriers for regional bodies:

engaging large regional populationsengaging large regional populations

risk of becoming ‘governmentalised’risk of becoming ‘governmentalised’

investing strategically without investing strategically without antagonisingantagonising

Might ‘nesting’ offer a bridge?Might ‘nesting’ offer a bridge?

Regional body

Sub-regional body

Sub-regional body

Local group

Local group

Local group

Local group

Local group

District network

Local group

An example of nestingAn example of nesting

Nesting may allow trust to be Nesting may allow trust to be ‘mediated’ in steps small enough ‘mediated’ in steps small enough to extend a sense of community to extend a sense of community ownershipownership

Lessons from the Blackwood Lessons from the Blackwood BasinBasin

Three case studies:Three case studies:

South West Catchments NRM region;South West Catchments NRM region;

Fitzroy Basin NRM Region; andFitzroy Basin NRM Region; and

Mallee NRM Region.Mallee NRM Region.

Postal survey of farmers in each case (Sept 06 – Jan 07)Postal survey of farmers in each case (Sept 06 – Jan 07)

333 responses from the Blackwood Basin (29% response)333 responses from the Blackwood Basin (29% response)

Origins of Blackwood Basin Group (BBG) trace Origins of Blackwood Basin Group (BBG) trace to 1992to 1992

Successfully attracted funds from NLP and Successfully attracted funds from NLP and NHT1NHT1

Established 9 zones for grassroots ownershipEstablished 9 zones for grassroots ownership

South West Catchments Council (SWCC) South West Catchments Council (SWCC) formed as a federation of prior ‘regional’ formed as a federation of prior ‘regional’ groupsgroups

SWCC becomes the region’s community-based SWCC becomes the region’s community-based body for the regional delivery modelbody for the regional delivery model

SWCC

Blackwood Basin Group

Geographe Catchment Council

Zone committee

Leschenault Catchment Council

Peel-Harvey Catchment Council

Cape to Cape Catchments Group Catchments

Warren Catchments NRM Group

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

Zone committee

SWCC expected to engage community SWCC expected to engage community ownership from a population 5.2 times larger ownership from a population 5.2 times larger than the BBG’sthan the BBG’s

SWCC faced obstacles in nesting lower-level SWCC faced obstacles in nesting lower-level groupsgroups

Research questions:Research questions:

How does the scale of CBNRM affect How does the scale of CBNRM affect farmers’ motivations to engage with it?farmers’ motivations to engage with it?

Do farmers trust the regional delivery Do farmers trust the regional delivery model?model?

What does it matter for their plans to What does it matter for their plans to adopt conservation practices?adopt conservation practices?

Statement:

I feel a bond with …

% of respondents who strongly

agreed

Our property 61

Our district 39

The Blackwood Basin 8

The South West Catchments Region 5

Statement:

NRM at the scale of the … is so remote that it discourages us from getting involved

% respondents who agree or

strongly agree

Blackwood Basin 47

South West Catchments Region 61

Statement:

… is serious about empowering our community to solve our own NRM problems

% of answering respondents who agreed /

strongly agreed

BBG 83

SWCC 73

WA Government 39

Federal Government 50

Statement

% of answering respondents who agreed /

strongly agreed

The regional approach is a way for governments to ‘pass the buck’ on difficult issues

70

The regional approach is part of a strategy to increase government regulation of rural land-use

73

SWCC is just a ‘rubber stamp’ for decisions made by the WA Government

54

The BBG is just a ‘rubber stamp’ for SWCC 39

Statement % of answering respondents who agreed /

strongly agreed

The regional approach is an improvement on previous approaches

66

The regional approach has reduced the ‘red tape’ for landholders seeking NRM funds for on-ground activities

49

SWCC understands the issues faced in our district

62

The BBG understands the issues faced in our district

83

What does it matter for What does it matter for farmers’ adoption of farmers’ adoption of

conservation practices?conservation practices? 78% of the Blackwood Basin is used for 78% of the Blackwood Basin is used for

agricultureagriculture

Adoption of on-farm conservation practices Adoption of on-farm conservation practices is crucial for conserving the Basin’s is crucial for conserving the Basin’s resourcesresources

How important is farmers’ trust in the BBG How important is farmers’ trust in the BBG for their plans to adopt practices it for their plans to adopt practices it promotes to them?promotes to them?

Blackwood Basin practices for which

regression models were estimated

Surface water management

Groundwater management

Establish perennial vegetation

Establish perennial pastures

Revegetation & protective fencing

Soil remediation

Zero or minimum tillage cropping

Pest and weed control

Predictors tested by the regression models

Trust in: Contribution to goals Equity ratio

Sub-regional body Local group involvement % income from farm business

Regional body Property area Place attachment

Government commitment to community empowerment

Formal education Perceived commons problem

Government integrity Years experience farming % net income from grazing

Regional/subregional autonomy

Profitability Expected future district adoption

Statements used to construct a predictor for trust in subregional body

The BBG understands the issues faced in our district.

The BBG is serious about helping our community to solve our own NRM problems.

Community members on the BBG can be trusted to argue forcefully for the interests of the Blackwood Basin.

Staff of the BBG care about our community.

The BBG is less bureaucratic than government generally.

Which of the 17 predictors were most likely to be associated with farmers’ adoption plans for conservation practices?

Predictor No. of the 8 practices where predictor

was associated with future adoption plans

1st Perceived contribution to goals 6

2nd Local group involvement 5

3rd Trust in subregional body 4

Yes, farmers’ trust in the regional Yes, farmers’ trust in the regional delivery model does matter for their delivery model does matter for their future adoption of conservation future adoption of conservation practicespractices

Yes, nesting of sub-regional groups Yes, nesting of sub-regional groups does seem to strengthen farmers’ does seem to strengthen farmers’ plans to adopt conservation practicesplans to adopt conservation practices

Adapting to changeAdapting to change Depopulation, ageing, less staff, more off-farm workDepopulation, ageing, less staff, more off-farm work

‘‘New’ groups compete with ‘old’ groups for farmers’ timeNew’ groups compete with ‘old’ groups for farmers’ time

Limited and uncertain public fundingLimited and uncertain public funding

Benefits of ‘modularity’ in a nested systemBenefits of ‘modularity’ in a nested system

Increased competition for funds mayIncreased competition for funds may inhibitinhibit collaboration (and encourage silos) collaboration (and encourage silos) innovationinnovation

Public-community partnerships should not Public-community partnerships should not be confused with public-private be confused with public-private partnershipspartnerships

Regional bodies face significant Regional bodies face significant challenges in engaging community challenges in engaging community ownershipownership

Nesting is an investment in reducing Nesting is an investment in reducing these challengesthese challenges

Key pointsKey points

Farmers’ trust in their sub-regional body is Farmers’ trust in their sub-regional body is one of the best predictors of their plans to one of the best predictors of their plans to adopt conservation practicesadopt conservation practices

Changes in capacities, policies and Changes in capacities, policies and knowledge require adaptation within knowledge require adaptation within CBNRMCBNRM

Competitive funding arrangements risk Competitive funding arrangements risk inhibiting collaboration and innovation inhibiting collaboration and innovation within CBNRMwithin CBNRM

Please email Please email

gmarshal@une.edugmarshal@une.edu.au.au

to request a copy to request a copy or give feedbackor give feedback

Thank Thank you!you!