1. Back to future:
Can lessons from restoring the Willamette
help to protect the rivers of northern
Australia?
Michael Douglas
Director, TRaCK Research Hub
Charles Darwin University
2. Outline
• The region
• The issues
• TRaCK
• The future
3. Australia’s wet-dry tropics
• 25% of Australia (463,000 square miles)
• 1.4% of Australia’s population (300,000 people)
• 30% of population are Indigenous people
4. Hot, wet season & hot, dry season
110 240
100 220
90 200
Temperature (F) or Humidity (%)
180
80
160
70
Rainfall (inches)
140
60
M ax. T em p. 120
50 M in. T em p. 100
40 9 am Hum idity
Rainfall (T otal 650 inch) 80
30
60
20 40
10 20
0 0
Jan Feb M ar Apr M ay Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. • 55 catchments
• 50% of Australia’s river flow
• <0.02% of water diverted
12. Outline
• The region
• The issues
• TRaCK
• The future
13. TRaCK - Research to support river and estuary management in
northern Australia
15. Research to support
sustainable management
• Increasing interest in developing
northern Australia
• Need to avoid the mistakes made in
the past
• Lack of basic knowledge of the full
implications of future scenarios
Fundamental need for research
Historic opportunity
16.
17. TRaCK’s Aim
To provide the science and knowledge that
governments, communities and industries
need for the sustainable management of
Australia’s tropical rivers and estuaries
18. TRaCK
• 80 Researchers
• 5 years
• 30 Projects
1. Why do people value tropical rivers?
2. How do they differ across the region?
3. How do tropical rivers work?
4. What are the opportunities for
Indigenous people?
5. How can we make good decisions
about managing tropical rivers?
19. Barramundi catch and annual flow
3 year moving averages with
4 year lag (R2=0.81)
Robbins et al (2006) Marine and Freshwater Research
20. Correlations of flow with fisheries production in
tropical Australian estuaries
Barramundi & Banana prawns
N
200 0 200 400 Kilometers
+ve
Darwin
+ve Ú
Ê
+ve
+ve
+ve Ú
Ê Cairns
Broome Ú
Ê
Ú
Ê Townsville
Rockhampton
N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N NÚ N
Ê N N N N
Ian Halliday et al 2010
21. Connected river systems
support fisheries
Where does the fish biomass come from?
Jardine et al 2011
20% 45%
River Estuary
35%
Floodplain
24. Relative risk score
Bla
10
15
20
25
30
Bu ck b
tle r
rs eam
gru
B
Or arra nter
dR m
ive und
r i
Sle mul
Gia ep let
nt y co
gu d
Higher risk
Bla dgeo
We ck n
ste Bony mas
rn t
rai brea
Ba nb m
rre owfi
Ex d g sh
qu run
i L te
Ma ste ra ong r
cle inb tom
ay ow
'
Sp s gla fish
an s
gle sfish
dp
To erc
oth h
les Tarp
o
B s ca n
Fly Snu lack tfish
-sp b-n ca
ec os tfis
k d h
No ed ha garfi
rth s
we rdyh h
st ea
Mo d
uth glasf
alm ish
Bla Go
ck- ld igh
ba Hy en g ty
Fish species
nd rtl's ob
ed t y
Mi rai anda
dg nbo n
Pu ley w
rpl 's g fish
e-s run
po Arch ter
tte
B d erfis
Fa erne gudg h
lse e
-s y's c on
Ka Prm pined atfis
the i h
rin tive a catfi
e R rc sh
ive her
r g fish
u
dry season water extraction
Sw dge
am on
Blu p e
Sh Salm e ca el
ov t
el- on c fish
no atf
Em sed ish
pi ca
Relative risks of freshwater fish species to
Fre re gu tfish
s d
Re hwa geo
risk
nd ter n
De ahl' s
lica s c ole
te
Lower
atf
blu ish
e
Pe -eye
nn
yfis
h
26. Relative risk score
Bla
10
15
20
25
30
Bu ck b
tle r
rs eam
gru
B
Or arra nter
dR m
ive und
r i
Sle mul
Gia ep let
nt y co
gu d
Higher risk
Bla dgeo
We ck n
ste Bony mas
rn t
rai brea
Ba nb m
rre owfi
Ex d g sh
qu run
i L te
Ma ste ra ong r
cle inb tom
ay ow
'
Sp s gla fish
an s
gle sfish
dp
To erc
oth h
les Tarp
o
B s ca n
Fly Snu lack tfish
-sp b-n ca
ec os tfis
k d h
No ed ha garfi
rth s
we rdyh h
st ea
Mo d
uth glasf
alm ish
Bla Go
ck- ld igh
ba Hy en g ty
Fish species
extraction – Daly River
nd rtl's ob
ed t y
Mi rai anda
dg nbo n
Pu ley w
rpl 's g fish
e-s run
po Arch ter
tte
B d erfis
Fa erne gudg h
lse e
-s y's c on
Ka Prm pined atfis
the i h
rin tive a catfi
e R rc sh
ive her
r g fish
u
Sw dge
am on
Blu p e
Sh Salm e ca el
ov t
el- on c fish
no atf
Em sed ish
pi ca
Fre re gu tfish
s d
Re hwa geo
nd ter n
De ahl' s
lica s c ole
te atf
blu ish
e
Pe -eye
nn
yfis
h
Lower risk
From Chan et al 2011
Some are at high risk from dry season water
27. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture
Indigenous 6%
income
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
28. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture
Indigenous 6%
income
Non-Indigenous 12%
income
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
29. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture
Indigenous 6%
income
Non-Indigenous 12%
income
Discharge 65%
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
30. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture
Indigenous 6%
income
Non-Indigenous 12%
income
Discharge 65%
Optimal fish 89%
habitat/wild harvest
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
31. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture
Indigenous 6%
income
Non-Indigenous 12%
income
Discharge 65%
Optimal fish 89%
habitat/wild harvest
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
32. Future development scenarios (30 years)
Management Strategy Evaluation, Daly River
Indicator
(c.f. to 2006) 5% Agriculture 5% Government
Indigenous 6% 45%
income
Non-Indigenous 12% 70%
income
Discharge 65% 25%
Optimal fish 89% 47%
habitat/wild harvest
Stoeckl et al (in press) Biological Conservation
33. Summary
• TRaCK’s research is leading to a
more informed debate
- Society clearly values tropical rivers for many
reasons
- Communities are looking for balance
- Clear trade-offs between different values
• State governments are using this
research to make decisions about water
allocation
34. Tony Abbott'sopposition party calls for a
Federal plan for northern foodbowl
network of new dams if elected
by: Sid Maher
From: The Australian
September 17, 2011 12:00AM
35. Outline
• The region
• The issues
• TRaCK
• The future
40. A new approach: Actionable research
or Transdisciplinary research
Stakeholders
Science
process
Stakeholders
Science
&
Scientists
Stakeholders
ach
tre
Ou
process
Research Action
41. Engagement
Providing Consulting Joint Joint Supporting users
informatio with users decision action initiatives
n s s
PARTNERSHIP
42. Engagement
Providing Consulting Joint Joint Supporting users
informatio with users decision action initiatives
n s s
PARTNERSHIP
Personal traits
Hubris, authority, Humility, empathy, listening
talking, credibility with , credibility with peers &
peers users
43. Engagement
Providing Consulting Joint Joint Supporting users
informatio with users decision action initiatives
n s s
PARTNERSHIP
Personal traits
Hubris, authority, talkin Humility, empathy, listening
g, credibility with peers , credibility with peers &
users
Indicators of completion
Publication Public action
45. Scale
Indiv., popl’n, Social ecological
community Ecosystems Watersheds
systems
Disciplinarity
Single- Multi- Inter- Trans-
Researchers, research
Ecologist,
Ecologist Ecologist, users, facilitators, Integrat
hydrologist,
hydrologist ors, communicators
planner, economist
46. Scale
Indiv., popl’n, Social ecological
community Ecosystems Watersheds
systems
Disciplinarity
Single- Multi- Inter- Trans-
Researchers, research
Ecologist, hydrolog
Ecologist Ecologist, hydrolo users, facilitators, Integrat
ist, planner, econo
gist ors, communicators
mist
Resources
Years Decades
$$ $$$$
47. Finding and retaining the People
right people
• The right personal traits
- Humility, empathy, listening, doing
- Credibility with peers and research users
• Collaboration with the right range of skills
- Research disciplines, facilitators,
communicators
• Continuous engagement with research users
48. Creating the right project
Project
• High quality research
• Appropriate scale (time and space) for
research users
• Adequate resources (time and money)
• Flexibility to respond to users needs
49. A clear pathway for
application
Pathway
• Need for evidence-based decisions
• Trust relationships with key research users
• Co-identified problems and outputs
• Opportunity for application
- e.g. policy, plan, decision
51. Aligning the right People
people, right project and
right pathway
Requires: Pathway Project
• Planning, leadership, timing
• More from all partners
• Researchers
• Research users
• Research funders
52. Aligning the right People
people, right project and
right pathway
Requires: Pathway Project
• Planning, leadership, timing
• More from all partners
Results:
• Defensible decisions & policies
• Stakeholder support
• Timely action
• Publication
Dynamic
• Difficult to maintain alignment
53. TRaCK2- Future direction
1. Interdisciplinary projects organised
around solving problems
2. Greater involvement of research users in
co-identification of research problems
and products
3. Social-ecological systems framework
4. Inspiring examples
- Willamette
54.
55.
56. Modeling future scenarios
Pantus et al (2011)
Stoeckl et. al. (2011)
Financial Impact on Indigenous
Households
Economic Financial Impact on Non-Indigenous
Development Households
Pantus and
Impact on the Environment Barton (2011)
(in this case, water extraction)
Impact on Stream-Flows
Cook et al (2010), Stewart-Koster et al (2011), Pusey et al (2011),
Warfe et al (2011), Chan et al (2012), Linke et al (in press), Petit et al (in
press)
Flow and habitat requirements of fish and
impacts of altered stream flows
Jackson et al (2011)
The Value of Wild Resources collected
by Indigenous Householders
Estimate of the financial value of the loss of wild
resources caused by decreased stream flow
Net impact on the finances of Indigenous and non-
Jackson et al (2011), Stoeckl et al (2012)
Indigenous households (allowing for loss of wild resources)
Socio-cultural values
Impact of economic development on
Indigenous and non-Indigenous well-being
59. Having the right people and
People
project (but NOT the right
pathway)
Project
Cause:
• Problems identified only by researchers
• Change in policy or government
Positive consequences:
• Good discovery science
• Knowledge available when a pathway appears
Negative consequences:
• Process ends with “management implications”
• Delayed or no action resulting from good
Ref: Duarte, Return to Neverland paper
60. Having the right pathway and
project (but NOT the right
Pathway Project
people)
Cause:
• Can’t get the right people – (project never starts)
• The right people move on (project ends) or
• The project proceeds with the wrong people
Positive consequences:
• Can prepare for action, actively recruit the right
people
Negative consequences:
• Unmet stakeholder expectations can damage
reputation of organizations
• Project damages relationships
61. Having the right people and People
pathway (but NOT the right
project) Pathway
Causes:
• Resource limitations (project never starts or starts but
falls short of expectations)
• Misalignment of scales
Positive consequences:
• Capability building, communication links
open, planning can occur, positioned for funding
opportunities
Negative consequences:
• Value of science not realized
• Decisions made without poor or no evidence
62. People value these rivers for many reasons
Most important management Responses
issue (%)
Preserving for biodiversity & natural 40
habitat
Preserving rivers for the people who 20
live there and visitors
Producing food for Australia 30
Developing northern Australia 6
Providing food for the world 4
Zander and Straton (2010) Ecological Economics
Zander et al. (2010) Journal of Environmental Management
Editor's Notes
Many of the fish species included in this risk assessment were harvested by indigenous people over the period of our surveys. Out of the top ten species that make the largest contribution to hh income, three species were found to be at high risk from dry season water extraction: Barramundi, Black Bream and Mullet were within the top ten species in the Daly (according to the replacement method of valuation). Black Bream (first bar) was at high risk (30) as was Barramundi (28) (third bar) and Mullet (27) (fourth bar)Those species that are highlighted as being at high-medium risk of late dry season water extraction make up 21% of the total replacement value in the Daly River.Consumption of the top ten species equates to 5% of HH income in the Daly i.e. $67 per fortnight.