Publication Date

9-2000

Series Number

Miscellaneous Publication 24/2000

Publisher

Department of Agriculture Western Australia

City

Perth

ISSN

1326-4168

Abstract

A report prepared for the Soil and Land Conservation Council of Western Australia.

Emerging from the Decade of Landcare is growing recognition that regional and local community involvement is integral to the success of any natural resource management (NRM) outcome. It is integral for a number of reasons:

1. Community support provides the capacity to develop plans and strategies at local, regional scale which are owned by the community who review (technical recommendations, advice and information and adapt them to suit local need;

2. Community knowledge provides an important balance to research knowledge and State and regional level strategies and plans;

3. Natural resource management plans developed by local and regional groups are most likely targeting areas and issues the community feels are of most importance;

4. Partnerships established between land managers, government and agencies provide a forum to coordinate and facilitate actions at local and regional level mediate between local need and government policy;

5. Without community and, more specifically, neighbour support, many NRM! ideas and the intent of policy will simply remain ideas and not become the basis for action.

A key component to the realisation of community development and NRM support is the role of the Community Support Officer or CSO. The term was first used at the Community Landcare Coordinators Summit, Communities Managing Natural Resources in February 2000. The term CSO is all encompassing and when used in this report refers to the following NRM support:

* Community Landcare Coordinators

* Bushcare Support Officers

* Regional Bushcare Facilitators

* Land for Wildlife Officers

* Indigenous Land Management Facilitators «

* Rivercare Officers

* Waterways Officers.

The environment within which CSOs work is changing. Issues challenging rural and urban communities are becoming increasingly complex and the magnitude of adjustment required to address many landscape issues such as salinity, greenhouse and biodiversity, and the encroaching impact of globalisation will be substantial. If communities are to have the capacity to adapt and respond pro-actively to these pressures, the role of the CSO in supporting individuals and groups to continue to remain involved in NRM activities and learning process, remains vital.

Number of Pages

61

Keywords

Natural Resource Management, Community Support, Western Australia

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Environmental Monitoring | Management Information Systems | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Soil Science

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