There has been significant investment by all levels of government and community in regional NRM delivery arrangements. Examples include the

• National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality
• Natural Heritage Trust
• National Water Initiative.
  

These processes need to be supported by research, monitoring and evaluation. This can help turn their experience into learning and change.

We need to assess these new institutional models to determine the characteristics that are required to achieve sustainable NRM policy and program outcomes.

R&D under this theme can make a significant contribution at the policy development and implementation level.

Theme objectives

• evaluate the effectiveness of institutional arrangements for regional NRM through learning models that facilitate practice change
• fund R&D to generate an understanding of the costs and benefits of institutional arrangements for sustainable NRM and of the changes needed to improve their effectiveness
• provide targeted knowledge support for policy makers and resource managers

Focus topics

R&D under this theme will focus on the following topics:

• targeted assessment of regional NRM initiatives
• targeted assessment and knowledge support for the National Water Initiative
• institutional arrangements to enhance the success of market-based instruments
• capacity building.
  

More information on this theme

A discussion of the rationale for work under this theme, and of the broad research outcomes we are seeking, is available in Making the connections, the Social and Institutional Research and Development Investment Plan 2005-10, pages 9-11.

Projects and findings

You can explore a list of projects related to this theme and read about their findings to date.