Knowledge for Regional NaturalResource Management Program

Nerida Hart, Program Manager,Knowledge for Regional NRM

Knowledge for Regional NRMProgram

• Purpose of the Program• Key areas of work for the Program• What has the Program achieved?• What difference has it made to improving NRM in

Australia?• Highlights• AANRO

56 NRMRegions

Where our services targeted theNRM Knowledge System

Regional NRMBodies (56)

Landholders &Indigenous landowners

Research & DevelopmentOrganisations

Region to Region sharingof knowledgeBuilding capacity to

manage information& knowledge within

Regions

Knowledge flowbetween R&D

organisations andRegions

*This diagram does not represent the entire NRM KnowledgeSystem.

Desired Outcomes1: Improved capacity of regional organisations to locate,

access, use and share NRM information andknowledge.

2: Improved capacity of regional organisations andassociated stakeholders to define their science(research) and information needs.

3: Greater understanding by research organisations ofregional information and knowledge needs.

5: Stronger communities of practice in NRM and greaterknowledge sharing among practitioners.

Three key areas of work• www.rkrk.net.au

Regional Knowledge Resource Kit• www.nrmnavigator.net.au including the

NRM Search Engine• Knowledge brokering services:

– Gotta question? Service– Decision Support Advice Service– Systematic Review trials

Achievements• Staff from 40 of 56 regional NRM bodies participated in

training to facilitate a Regional Knowledge Strategy anduse the resources of the Regional Knowledge ResourceKit.

• Five pilot regions and 9 additional regions have developedand implemented a Regional Knowledge Strategy.

• A wide range of NRM information sources (such asnational databases) now accessible through NRMNavigator.

• Development of an NRM-specific search engine providingaccess to the vast majority of publicly-available NRMresearch.

Achievements continued…• 18 regional NRM bodies have established Evidence

Bases (collections of regionally-relevant information);another 7 have shown interest. There are also 6 non-regional Evidence Bases set up, including BushHeritage Australia.

• Evidence Bases are linked to the NRM Navigator andfulfil Program Logic requirements for regional NRMbodies

• Some regions have catalogued entire libraries ofreports etc. numbering in excess of 2000 items.

Making a difference to improvingNRM

We have:• Empowered the regional NRM sector by building

capacity in managing information and knowledge.• Provided an online resource (RKRK) for regional NRM

bodies to develop a regional knowledge strategy.• Provided Regional NRM staff with opportunities to learn

methods and techniques to better manage informationand knowledge.

• Provided regions with fast access to evidence fordecision making through the NRM Navigator.

Making a difference to improving NRMcontinued…

• Made inroads into the difficult issue of getting regionalknowledge needs onto the national research agenda.

• Provided a facility, through the Evidence Base softwarefor NRM regions and others to collect, store and accessinformation sources, and provide an evidence trail fordecision making.

• Linked the Evidence Bases to Program Logic that hasbeen rolled out across all regions by the AustralianGovernment. This will add significantly to the benefits ofthe software.

Highlights• actKM Platinum award in October 2008 for a KM project which

addressed both cultural and technological change• Wide geographic engagement with overwhelmingly positive

feedback• Improved awareness and understanding of information and

knowledge in a regional NRM context.• Improved access to publicly-funded science and research.• Products that are durable and effective. Consistent use of

open source, licence free software—saving public money.• Built Program legacy through initiating a Community of

Practice in NRM (Friends of RKRK).• Systematic reviews: funded 2nd and 3rd Systematic Reviews

ever done in Australian NRM (Native Veg Program & CSIROcollaboration).

Future• LWA option to take over no longer viable as LWA has

been abolished as of 30 June 2009• High level of interest across multiple layers of

government and NRM sector. Continuing themomentum with the strong engagement would likelylead to future collaboration.

• Regional Knowledge Resource Kit will go to theAustralian River Restoration Centre www.arrc.com.au

• NRM Navigator and Evidence Bases may go to aconsortium of Catchment Management Authorities orunder www.nrm.gov.au

Drivers for redevelopment:• National Agriculture and NRM R&D annual spend over $1bil

- If we drop the ball now, we’ll need to reinvent it within 5years, at much greater cost

• Publicly funded research outputs should be freely accessibleand searchable online (E-Research Strategy, Code ofConduct for Responsible Research, OECD)

Australian Agriculture & NaturalResources Online (AANRO)

Australian Agriculture & NaturalResources Online

• A national R&D database for Agriculture and Natural Resources Management –contains research in progress, final reports and researcher profiles

• Initiative of the Australian Government in partnership with the States, NRMSC,PISC & 15 RDCs (over 40 organisations) plus additional investment throughClimate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries

• Integrated knowledge and discovery tool for research and extension informationand Australia’s first full text discipline based repository.

• Goal is to be recognised as the trusted source for agriculture and naturalresource management research and information for Australia

• Already attracting interest from new partners as they see the benefit of joiningthis highly effective collaboration in making Australia’s research publiclyaccessible

• Launched late June 2009

Access to more information

• www.lwa.gov.au/regionalknowledge

• www.rkrk.net.auRegional Knowledge Resource Kit

• www.nrmnavigator.net.au (including the NRMSearch Engine)

• www.aanro.net

Questions?

Nerida.hart@gmail.com