The 10 woolgrowers featured in this Insights publication value the creeks, stream or rivers on their farm, and manage them as different, yet integrated parts of their wool enterprise. Case 1: River focus inspires landscape rebirth Mark and Anna Gubbins -

In this edition of WaterWheel you will find a supplement detailing the research and development projects being undertaken through NPIRD. The projects address priority areas of:* technology adoption and education; * drainage, nutrients, salinity and pesticides; * water supply systems; * conjunctive water use; *infrastructure refurbishment.

The purpose of this document, then, is to build on these past efforts to provide easily accessible background information on past trends and possible future change in Australia, our region Our focal questions What social, economic and environmental factors could bring about major change in Australian landscapes, lifestyles and livelihoods over the next 25 years and beyondΓ What research challenges do these possibilities raiseΓ and the world. It is not comprehensive and it provides only some of the insights and opinions that are possible. We hope, however, that it will encourage readers to think more broadly about the factors that might determine the future and to imagine for themselves what challenges could emerge. This brings us to our second purpose. Imagining future challenges is one thing, but thinking about what might be needed to prepare us for them is another. We have made some suggestions about where research and development is needed to address plausible future challenges. We hope you will give us your views as well.

In this Issue: OUTCOMES FOR WATER POINT MANAGEMENT; SAVANNA BURNING AND THE CARBON ECONOMY; THE DECLINE OF WOODLAND BIRDS IN AGRICULTRUAL LANDSCAPES; TRACKING GENES IN FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPES

This booklet aims to help researchers improve communication of research findings to policy makers at all levels of government.

Information on Project ADF5 The potential for private sector nature Conservation in Australia

Australians and Natural Resource Management 2002 presents the key findings of the first Australia-wide assessment of the physical condition and use of our natural resources integrated with social and economic information. It is an important step forward in the construction of natural resource accounts.

Improved climate forecasts which enable stocking rates to be better matched to feed availability are a priority for the long-term sustainability and productivity of the wool industry. The Land, Water & Wool Managing Climate Variability subprogram is helping

This document is an overview of the practical results from 11 research projects examining the social and institutional dimensions of NRM, from the Social and Institutional Research Program (SIRP), which is managed by Land & Water Australia. This information will be of interest to policy makers, resource management agencies at all levels, researchers, community groups and non-government organisations. The research results have been grouped into the following themes: *NRM communities; *NRM institutions; *NRM decisions/evaluation; and *NRM research methods.

Catchment managers have a responsibility to ensure equitable use of water, balancing water requirements from the upper catchment all the way downstream to the end of the valley. On farms, efficient use of water is a goal which everybody shares to avoid plant stress from drought or waterlogging and to avoid paying for too much water.