In this issue: Finding order in the chaos: Australia's regional climate; A farewell to Harm; Why has 2006 been so dryΓ; Flexible feedbase options for dairy farmers; The Wet crystal ball

Abstract: The emerging focus on ecologically sustainable development (ESD) has caused a paradigm shift in the theory underpinning natural resource management. Increasingly, this shift is reflected in policy. The adoption of the new paradigm for natural resource and environmental policy and research demands a new approach to evaluation. This paper develops a systems framework for the evaluation of natural resource management programmes based on a consideration of the changing nature of approaches to natural resource management programs and observation of and experience in the practical assessment of on-the-ground projects. The framework provides the basis for an integrated evaluation of the different perspectives (i.e. social, economic, environmental, institutional and technological) on the natural resource management and planning process. It recognizes the multiple levels and nested nature of natural resource management policy and research, namely: problem characterisation, policy formulation and intent, program logic, and on-ground implementation. Having developed and presented this framework on the basis of practical experience, we demonstrate its utility through application to six contrasting case studies and discuss the implications.

The National Land & Water Resources Audit and its partners have produced the first national assessment of significant invasive animals in Australia since the Landscape Health in Australia Assessment of 2001. Combined with key research on the impacts of invasive pest animals, the assessment provides information for management authorities, supporting the development of appropriate policy, evaluation of management decisions and the development of management and biosecurity strategies to accurately target pests and their impacts in Australia.

This booklet is part of a series that describes the status of data and information relevant to national indicators agreed under the National Natural Resource Management Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. It specifically reports on the status of information relating to indicators of native vegetation communities' integrity.

This directory consolidates the breadth of ground-breaking research commissioned by the National Dryland Salinity Program (NDSP) with significant research findings and resources on dryland salinity developed throughout Australia over the past 10 years. It captures research undertaken at the national, State and regional levels, and interprets the findings for the catchment manager. It is framed around five vital questions for catchment managers, and each chapter starts by addressing why the particular question is important. * Question 1 - What is the current extent of dryland salinity and its risk of spreadΓ * Question 2 - What are the causes and processes of dryland salinityΓ * Question 3 - What are the current and predicted impacts and costs of dryland salinityΓ * Question 4 - What can we do and how do we measure progressΓ * Question 5 - How do we integrate with other natural resource management issuesΓ

Score sheet for Tropical Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition Version 1 (tropical savannas) River and Riparian Technical Guideline update No. 7 June 2006

The aim of this decision support manual and associated computer software (CDSR) is to assist livestock selling decisions that pastoral sheep owners make before drought bites hard. Delayed decisions often mean stock loose condition and become un-saleable. Delayed decisions force stock to overgraze and kill perennial plants. Eventually rain mostly runs off rather than supporting feed growth.

NEMP funded a workshop at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga in November 1997 to examine recent research into the limitations to phytoplankton growth that arise from nutrient limitation. In particular, there had been increasing evidence that nitrogen could in some circumstances be as important a limiting nutrient as phosphorus. If true, this finding could have important management implications. The main aim of the meeting was to review the current state of knowledge regarding the relative importance of different nutrients and variations in the light environment in controlling phytoplankton population dynamics in freshwaters. The outcome was to be a summary of current knowledge written in plain English for managers.

he Tropical Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition (TRARC) is a visual assessment of the riparian zone using simple indicators of condition. It is designed to be user-friendly for the non-specialist and is best suited to savanna streams with a well def

Conservation on land not used for commercial purposes is among the most highly taxed land uses in Australia. There are tax incentives to encourage people to conserve biodiversity on land used for commercial purposes, but there are no tax incentives for people who manage land solely for nature conservation. This paper evaluates a range of proposals for providing tax incentives for the protection of native vegetation and biodiversity that is of high conservation value.