Workshops - Coast to Coast 2008

Workshop: 3rd National Coastal, Estuarine and Marine NRM (Monday 18th)

Download the Report from this Workshop (pdf, 113kb)

This important Workshop comes at a critical time of transition between the Natural Heritage Trust and the Australian Government’s introduction of new coastal initiatives under Caring for Our Country. The workshop theme is “Maintaining momentum”

Like the previous two National Coastal Estuarine and Marine NRM workshops at Coast to Coast 2004 and 2006, this day is specifically designed to complement the ongoing work of all those engaged in delivering natural resource management in our coastal estuarine and marine areas. This includes those in NRM regions, communities, governments, and others supporting the planning and management of Australia's coastline.

This will be a highly interactive workshop and networking opportunity that will assist in maintaining momentum through this period of change. It is designed to capture past progress and experience, current challenges and future expectations across this complex portfolio of natural resource management activity.

You will have the opportunity to present case studies or issues from your NRM Region or area of interest or responsibility, and participate in a broad range of presentations, workshops and discussions. The outputs and recommendations of the day will be captured and published on the conference website, and this 3rd. National Coastal Estuarine and Marine NRM Workshop will provide the perfect springboard into the broader ICZM agenda of Coast to Coast 2008.

There is a registration fee of $60.00 to cover the cost of the venue, meals and refreshments for the day. This workshop will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre on Monday, 18th August. You can register for the workshop on the same form as registering for the conference. Attendance is strictly limited to 100 people.

Workshop: Managing the Environmental Impacts of Dredging (Tuesday 19th)

Introduction:

Both capital works and maintenance dredging in relation to the development of new and existing Port facilities remains a vexed issue with respect to the evaluation of environmental impacts. In part this is a regulatory issue associated with development approvals, State and Federal policy frameworks and the strategic management of natural resources. In part it is also a technical issue which is continually being revisited as our capacity is continually improved to collect more or better data on ambient processes and to model these. In addition, the science behind the assessment of marine and coastal impacts is also changing as new concepts emerge, for example ecological resilience, setting new challenges for both scientists and regulators. These aspects of the environmental assessment process for dredging sit with in a wider frame work of Government policy with respect to development and conservation, as well as industry imperatives to minimize both costs and startup times associated with proposed developments and ongoing operations. While not all of these issues can be sensibly canvassed within a one day workshop it appears timely to revisit some of the issues and how we might manage them more effectively within the Conference theme of “Crossing boundaries”.

Structure of the Workshop
It is proposed that the Workshop be structured around three sessions. The first session is to have several invited Keynote speakers representing government, industry and science to set out issues of concern as they see them from their point of view. This is to be followed by a discussion, and then a series of presentations provided through open invitation featuring aspects or issues of dredging policy, evaluation or science that people want to bring to the attention of the participants. The last session is to be a moderated discussion (as a single group or in breakout groups depending on numbers) around what participants thinks are the key issues we need to address and how this might be approached.

Should you wish to participate, would like to contribute a paper or make suggestions then please do not hesitate to contact the Workshop Convener to discuss further. Abstracts for papers need to be submitted through the normal conference processes – see http://www.coast2coast.org.au/call-for-abstracts.html. Note that updates on the Workshop will be posted here as the development of the Workshop proceeds.

Workshop Convener: Dr Tony Chiffings
Phone: ++ 61 (8) 9323 7731 or mobile 0418 272 415

Workshop: Coastal Setbacks & Foreshore Reserve Delineation - WA Experience
(this workshop was unfortunately cancelled)

Convenor: John O'Hurley, Department for Planning and Infrastructure, 469 Wellington Street, Perth WA

Workshop begins by a short Powerpoint presentation on the Western Australian State Coastal Planning Policy (SPP2.6) which guides coastal setbacks and delineation for foreshore reserves to cater for public recreational use of the coast.

Discuss how the WA government addresses delineation of coastal foreshore reserves to cater for coastal processes setbacks, future coastal recreational needs and the desire for residential development to be located as close to the beach/coast as possible. Discussion of the Western Australian experience through a Perth case study to encourage debate and information exchange on the way states and territories apply coastal planning controls.

WA coastal policy requires coastal foreshore reserves to be identified and delineated by considering ecological values, landscape, seascape, visual amenity, indigenous and cultural heritage, public access, public recreation needs and safety to lives and property.

Discuss application of a WA coastal planning policy in assessing a Perth residential coastal subdivision in terms of:

  • coastal setbacks (i.e. storm surge, erosion and sea level rise),
  • recreation needs of a new community
  • interface and integration of the foreshore with new suburban development.

Discussion could include any of the following:

  • How is climate change dealt with across Australia with particular emphasis on sea level rise and coastal setbacks?
  • Are common themes emerging across state and territory boundaries in relation climate change and demand/provision of coastal developments?
  • How do other parts of Australia deal with development and setbacks adjacent to the coast?
  • What has worked and what has gone wrong in coastal development around the country (could touch on strategic policy and statutory planning)?
  • What is happening around Australia with canal estates in terms of environment, planning policy, construction and management?

Workshop: Technology Tools for Coastal-Marine Ecosystem-Based Management [led by the EBM Tools Network] (Thursday 21st)

[Download a pdf of the Agenda]

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) of coastal and marine environments requires the integration of information about a vast array of environmental and human systems. A variety of software tools have been developed to help policymakers and managers collect, visualize, and analyze this information and engage stakeholders in the EBM decision making process. This workshop will provide an overview of existing tools that can be used for EBM in coastal and marine environments (including live demonstrations of key tools), describe projects which have used these tools, provide guidance on what a coastal manager needs to consider when selecting a tool for his or her project, and point managers in the direction of additional resources to find out more about tools. We will also seek input from participants on the types of tools that would be useful for their EBM projects and what they would like to see in an expanded EBM tools training course.

For more information about this workshop, please contact the EBM Tools Network Coordinator Sarah Carr.

Workshop: Indigenous Coastal & Sea Country Planning & Management (NAILSMA) (This workshop was unfortunately cancelled)

Introduction

For millenia, Indigenous people around Australia have actively managed natural resources under customary management regimes. However, in recent times the management of sea country resources by Australia’s first people has not been adequately recognised, considering the important intellectual and practical knowledge and approaches to management of sea country resources that Indigenous people bring to management. Furthermore, a growing network around the nation of Indigenous sea country managers has meant that new opportunities to manage remote coastal stretches with complimentary skills sets, that is, those brought by Indigenous people and that of new science, combine to provide unique management options that are unparalleled. Indigenous sea country managers aspire to regain management of globally recognised centres of biodiversity, whilst creating meaningful employment and economic develop opportunities to remote Indigenous settlements. This presents new environments for Indigenous Knowledge to be utilised, whilst contributing to robust development of remote communities.

The Workshop

This workshop will discuss the positive outcomes of existing sea country planning and management arrangements, whilst also the gaps and possible future ways in which greater integration of Indigenous Knowledge and practice can create sea country planning and management outcomes for everyone in the country.

  • The successes, challenges and opportunities arising from the 5 or 6 Sea Country Plans completed in the last few years;
  • How to increase support for further Sea Country planning and managing initiatives;
  • The role of Sea Country planning in the roll out of marine protected areas around Australia;
  • The link between Sea Country Planning, Sea Country Indigenous Protected Areas and management of important ecosystems and protected species;
  • The gaps in sea country planning and management – customary & cultural (Indigenous Knowledge in management of sea country resources);
  • The role of the broader sea country ranger network and provision of environmental services

Possible format the workshop:

Morning Session (morning tea to lunch):

  • Presentations from groups/individuals who have been involved in Sea Country processes;
  • Presentations from those groups that have been managing sea country resources outside the protected area framework (customary and community based);

Afternoon session (lunch to afternoon tea)

  • 1 or 2 or 3 summary/review presentations addressing the above issues; and
  • Facilitated discussions on future directions, opportunities, gaps, funding and partnerships for Sea Country planning and management

This session will also explore the need for greater recognition for community-based and customary management regimes in managing important coastal and sea resources.

Convenors: Joe Morrison/Dermot Smyth

Server Date and time is 01/08/10 02:56 PM