Monitoring program for effectiveness and program outcomes

Monitoring is an essential component of any adaptive management program.  To understand whether the artesian spring management program was successful, a suite of monitoring and assessment was undertaken. This involved photographic monitoring and condition assessments of the springs based on the amount of grazing, ground disturbance and visual water condition. Biological assessment of species diversity of plants and endemic gastropods were carried out.

  • Develops land management outcomes and knowledge.
  • Evaluates management effectiveness.
  • Documents program outcomes.
  • Resources (time and staff) to undertaken monitoring.
  • Skills to undertake monitoring and assessment.
  • Effective monitoring programs create better and more sustainable engagement by program stakeholders, reduces costs and allows for more effective use of project resources.
  • Monitoring needs to be adaptive to ensure the desired outcomes are being measured.
  • Results need to be easy to understand and readily available so that all stakeholders can appreciate how the program is achieving the desired program outcomes.