Planning Guides for Landcare, 2013. This set of planning guides for strategic and operational planning in landcare groups and networks was devised by Moragh Mackay of Bass Coast Landcare Network. With Moragh, I edited each planning guide and wrote of an introduction that discusses planning in landcare, and how it differs from planning in government programs.

Completing the Circuit, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, 2013. Coordination of four teams of consultants visiting Aboriginal people who made submissions on the Draft Basin Plan. Evaluation of the project process documented key steps and lessons learned. Co-authored with the team a presentation on seeking consent to a symposium on Water Governance convened by the Systemic Governance Research Program and the Performance Research Unit, Monash University.

Alliance Workshop, Port Phillip and Westernport CMA, 2012. The goal was to move agencies and local government toward collaboration in setting and implementing NRM targets. I figured that those coming to the workshop would be mostly supportive of collaboration, but would want a way to generate stronger internal support within their own organisations. I used a small group activity where participants analysed attitudes of senior managers, middle managers and technical staff in their organisation, and worked together to decide what they would do to build stronger internal support for collaboration. We closed out the workshop by clarifying what they needed from CMA staff to support their action within their organisations.

Indicators and Measures for a Community Capacity Index, DSE, Victoria, 2010. I interviewed staff of six DSE Programs to understand the indicators and measures each used for community capacity. I then recommended, in the short-term, indicators and measures for a State-wide index of community capacity, and in the medium-term, priorities for development of indicators and measures across DSE Programs.

Land Use Planning and Agriculture, 10 regional workshops on long-term directions for land use planning and agriculture, Ministerial Advisory Group, DPCD, Victoria, 2009. A flexible design responded to the different issues current in each location to reach agreement on ways in which the planning system could better support agriculture. Land use planning is all about managing conflicts between different types of land use, so I used the major different land uses as the basis for participants working out possible conflicts between uses (for example, between intensive agriculture and residential use) that would need to be managed, and possible integration between uses that would need to be supported. By keeping the focus on the future, I took people away from complaining about past planning decisions.

Partnerships in NRM Workshop, Conservation Management Networks, NSW, 2008. Training in partnership formation, designed to leverage CMNs unique position of bringing together government and community organisations. Used the Levels of Engagement Assessment Tool to decide what was needed in each partnership.

Indicators and measures for social capacity in NRM,  NAP Multi-Region Project, Victoria, 2005-06. Development of tools for measuring social capacity in NRM. An 18 month project that identified five indicators of government and community capacity, the interaction of which is social capacity. I developed measures for each indicator, and trialed them in the Corangamite CMA. I particularly liked the phone survey which rated strength of working relationships, networks and NRM organisations, and the process I developed with program staff to set targets for community capacity. Unfortunately, there was not much interest in CMAs at the time in adding another measurable target alongside their suite of biophysical targets. Halfway through, the initiator of the project in DSE moved to another job outside DSE.

Community Engagement in Natural Resource Management, National Facilitator Network, Dept Environment and Heritage, 2005. This six month project brought together knowledge and skills for community engagement in NRM. Ross managed selection and production of ten case studies on engagement in regional NRM, working with a team of journalists, and commissioned and synthesised a literature review of principles of community engagement from academics at ANU and Queensland University. He designed and facilitated seven workshops across Australia, integrating case studies and literature review into knowledge sharing and skill development in the workshops. A rolling set of questions and conclusions was documented as the workshops progressed. The end result was a higher level of competence in engagement and understanding of innovations and current challenges across Australians 56 NRM regions.

2008 and 2004 Victorian Landcare Forums, DSE Victoria. Facilitation of plenary Forum sessions. 300 people shared stories of their success and struggle, drew conclusions on where Landcare needed to go next, and set about organising action. Highly participative, complex to manage, but generated enormous enthusiasm and good will.

Community Consultation, proposed Happy Valley mine, BeMax, 2008-09, proposed Ludlow Mine, Cable Sands, 2001 – 2003. Creation and facilitation of Working Parties of local and conservation interests to assess two separate mineral sands mining proposals in the south west of WA. The Working Parties identified potential impacts and assessed company proposals on how it would manage impacts. Facilitation in this high conflict situation brought out differences of view and the underlying values. The consultation did not resolve major differences, but it did produce more comprehensive and effective plans for management of impacts, acceptable to most of the interests around the table.

Other engagement projects

• Community Consultation on new Heritage Inventory, Town of Vincent, 2006
• Consultation on new Public Health Act, WA Department of Health, 2005
• Communications Strategy, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Victoria, 2004
• Competencies for Community Relations, Rio Tinto, 2003
• Sustainability in the Resources Industry, Australian Minerals and Energy, 2002.
• Assessment of a Framework for Public Investment in Salinity, WA Salinity Council, 2001
• Consultation between Anaconda Nickel and Aboriginal Communities, 1999- 2001
• Assessment of Satisfaction with Community Involvement, Roads and Traffic Authority, Sydney Region, NSW
• Improving Community Involvement, Roads and Traffic Authority, Sydney Region, NSW
• Skilling for Community Consultation, Major Projects, RTA, Sydney Region.
• Preparation of Regional Planning Groups for Community Consultation. Department of Health and Community Services, NSW
• Consultation Methods for the Industry Training Plan, Dept Training
• Training in Consultation Skills, Homeswest
• Review of Community Consultation Practices, Main Roads
• Facilitator Training, Water Corporation
• Best Practice in Community Consultation, Office of the Family, W.A.
• Development of a District Conservation Strategy, Kalamunda Shire
• Community Consultation on Petrol Sniffing, Ngyanytjarra Lands
• Community Leadership Program, Roebourne, Alcohol and Drug Authority