The report explains and justifies the value of material flow analysis as a method to inform natural resource management at the regional level. It further develops material flow analysis methodology as a heuristic basis upon which to develop strategies to foster rural revitalisation. Also, it resolves some long-standing dilemmas concerning data collection and reconciliation at the regional level by presenting a new approach to the determination of bioregional and systems boundaries. The report develops some methodological concepts to facilitate bioregional planning, and demonstrates how metabolic mapping might be further developed and applied more broadly in policy development and community decision making.