Victorian catchment management approaches to salinity: learning from the National Action Plan experience

Abstract

Given the limited budgets of environmental programs in Australia, spatially explicit, asset-based approaches to investment planning are likely to result in more cost-effective environmental outcomes than less-targeted approaches. The conclusion of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) provided opportunity to explore the compatibility of Victorian Catchment Management Authority (CMA) dryland plans with an asset-based approach, with a view to providing guidance on how to improve practices for new programs. In 2008, we reviewed plans for dryland areas of eight Victorian CMAs against the following criteria: 1) identification of spatially explicit assets; 2) asset prioritisation; 3) level of threat considered; 4) capacity to influence the threat; 5) linkage between intervention and asset protection; 6) consideration of landholder adoption circumstances; 7) whether the intervention was based on analysis of public and private benefits; and 8) whether research and development gaps were identified. Gaps in knowledge were identified in all plans. Overall, two regions had plans that were moderately consistent with a spatially explicit, asset-based approach. There was a generally positive response from CMAs regarding the implementation of such an approach, with strong indications of the need to consider multiple environmental threats. We conclude that clear guidance or recommendations from governments will be needed to achieve widespread adoption of spatially explicit, asset-based approaches in Victoria and other states.

Keywords:

• salinity
• asset-based environmental management
• natural resource management
• targeting
• investment
• organisational capacity
• institutional arrangements
• environmental policy