Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
groups are by nature committed and passionate, their actions must be in step with
broader management goals and objectives. Volunteer groups must, therefore, be kept
well informed. Technical skills among group members may be lacking. Integration of
effort presents significant challenges. Coastal ecosystems are unique and fragile, and
must be well understood if community action is to be complementary. The planting
of introduced or inappropriate tree species has occurred numerous times in the past.
With more than ten thousand people volunteering annually in Victoria alone, there is
a significant risk that the best of intentions will miss the mark in terms of desired eco-
logical outcome.
Since 1995, the key supporting framework for the coastal volunteer movement has
been the Coast Action/Coastcare program. During this time, the movement has
grown from a handful of individuals working in one foreshore area to more than ten
thousand individuals working across the entire state. The program supports more than
one hundred community organizations and aims to maximize ecological and coastal
management gains from the stewardship movement (while managing the risks out-
lined earlier). These aims are achieved by providing targeted support in key areas, in-
cluding organization development, ecological restoration and management ap-
proaches, safety management, recognition, and awareness. Another important role of
the program is to ensure proper coordination and alignment with other programs of
restoration and conservation.
Nonprofit groups, such as Greening Australia and Conservation Volunteers, also
contribute to this broad support framework. Often very successful in forging partner-
ships with the corporate sector, these organizations have created a framework for ac-
tion parallel to those erected by government. Heavily influenced by funding priori-
ties and the bottom line, these organizations may also bring in volunteers from afar to
undertake works. While the long-term viability of the local stewardship may be ques-
tionable, the ability to conduct large-scale works quickly may be higher with these
organizations.
Community networks, such as Conservation Management Networks and Land-
care networks, are an emerging framework with significant potential to transform
coastal works programs. Usually comprising a loose collective of like-minded groups
and partner organizations, these networks represent a major development in steward-
ship during the last decade. Drivers for networks include the current investment focus
on ecosystem and landscape management approaches and partnerships. The Conser-
vation Management Networks have the potential to significantly boost restoration ef-
forts by helping to articulate and share clear regional conservation goals and coordi-
nate implementation of works by a multitude of governmental and nongovernmental
players. To date, these networks have helped to coordinate and deliver works across
thousands of acres. While these networks are yet to move into the coastal zone, the ap-
proach presents a clear opportunity to take coastal restoration projects to a new level.
Volunteer programs typically adopt the following types of approaches in order to
maximize gains:
• Provide direction and strategic framework—ensures that the group's activities
align and integrate with relevant coastal management programs, policies, and
plans
