Examination of the Reporting Problem We need a better way! Forest C&I Analytical Framework and Report Workshop, Finland 19-21 May 2008 Claire Howell
Overview of Presentation • Brief background on national forest reporting in Australia • External Communication Review of 2003 State of the Forests Report (SOFR) • Review Recommendations • Implementation for 2008 SOFR Report • Opportunities and Threats • Conclusion www.brs.gov.au
Australia’s 5-yearly ‘State of Forests Reports’ - 1998, 2003 and now 2008 www.brs.gov.au
Introduction 1992 National Forest Policy obligation to prepare 5-yearly State of the Forests Reports 1994 Australia adopted the Montréal Process - Montréal Process Implementation Group for Australia 1998 SOFR implicitly based on the MP C&I framework 2003 SOFR explicitly based on the MP C&I framework All national level forest reporting is dependent on the contribution of data by states and territories, and therefore very much on the relationship between all parties www.brs.gov.au
Australia’s Forests • Forest management undertaken at the state Northern Territory government level. Queensland Western Australia • Federal government responsible for trade, South export licences, tax & Australia targeted spending. New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Victoria Tasmania www.brs.gov.au
Montréal Process Framework of Criteria & Indicators 1. Biodiversity 2. Productive Capacity 3. Ecosystem Health 4. Soil & Water 5. Carbon 6. Social & Economic Benefits 7. Regulatory Framework www.brs.gov.au
State government adoption of C&I • State governments have increasingly adopted elements of the C&I framework for jurisdictional reporting • Domestic indicator review of 2005/06 generated strong understanding of the national C&I framework • Ownership in the national process because of the links to the State systems • The 2008 national report was smoother compared to 2003 and 1998 reporting processes www.brs.gov.au
National Report New South Wales ‘ SEEing Reports’ Western Australia ‘ Forest Management Plan’ Victoria ‘ State of Forests Tasmania Report’ ‘ State of Forests Report’ www.brs.gov.au
www.brs.gov.au
Existing forest communication products Science for Decision Makers series Eg: ‘Plantations and Water Use’ www.brs.gov.au
Review of 2003 State of Forests Report Terms of reference: • Consult with key stakeholders about the usefulness of the report • Seek views on possible improvements in format and presentation • Identify subsidiary products to coincide with the release of the 2008 Report • Analyse the target audience • Provide suggestions for broadening the audience and engaging with that audience www.brs.gov.au
Review Process Stage One: Key clients’ and contributors’ perception of the report • Identify range of stakeholders (current contributors, current users, potential users) • Branding/communication audit • Stakeholder interviews – 8 -10 existing priority stakeholders • Interim report with stakeholder feedback and future options Stage Two: Explore and develop future options with target audience • Stakeholder interview – additional five interviews • Final report www.brs.gov.au
Stakeholders (Contributors and Users) Internal – Minister, Department Head, Policy Divisions , Parliamentary committees Other Federal Government – Environment, Trade, Science, Education, Industry, Tourism, Transport, Regional Services, Embassies, Bureau of Statistics, Bureau of Economics, Greenhouse Office, Research Corporations International – MP, UN, FAO, ITTO, APFC, MCPFE, OECD, WTO, CBD, UNCCC State/Regional – State agencies (see Federal equivalents), Catchment Management Authorities, Landcare, Local government, Schools Lobby Groups – Farmers, Forest Industry, Pulp & Paper, ENGOs Academia – Universities, national and state research organisations Media – rural and regional press, national press, forest magazines www.brs.gov.au
Findings of the Review Reporting obligations : – Meets international obligations � – Domestic ? (Australian Government says that it does) Presentation : Hardcopy report produced to highest standards � Value to Stakeholders : – Internationally - Best practice reporting � – Domestically: Comprehensive for nationally aggregated but not enough detail ?? ( Are the data too packaged?? ) Stakeholder information needs : – Competes alongside other sources that meet stakeholder needs ?? ( again, are the data too packaged?? ) – Range of topics identified but not clear if they’re in the report ???? www.brs.gov.au
Findings: Forest Topics of interest to stakeholders 1. Bushfires 12. National Parks 2. Climate change 13. Plantation forests 3. Economics 14. Resources 4. Employment 15. Reforestation 5. Farm Forestry 16. Social impacts 6. Feral Animals 17. Soil erosion 7. Forest Products 18. Sustainability 8. Forest Industry 19. Tourism 9. Forest Usage 20. Water 10. International 21. Weeds 11. Land 22. Wood production www.brs.gov.au
Findings: The Case for Change • The Report needs to create greater stakeholder value • Broad agreement that SOFR has a role as a comprehensive source of nationally aggregated forest data • Some stakeholders (data providers) want ‘value free’ presentation of the information ...and to leave that for others to analyse ie. discussion if there is a change, but not why • BUT other stakeholders want the analysis (suspect they are not the data providers) www.brs.gov.au
Findings: Report structure, content and tone • 400 pages is neither user friendly nor environmentally friendly • Diminishing utility of big publications: a smaller more summary hardcopy report is desirable • C&I Framework isn’t always logical (overlap in some criteria) • Concise readable text with graphs and tables in context • Too much focus on data gaps and deficiencies • Tension between presenting the data and progressing into some form of data analysis • Timeliness: perception the report is old for much of its 5-year life, though contributors reluctant for timeframe to be reduced www.brs.gov.au
Recommendations of the Review 1. Create greater value to existing stakeholders via a strong, accessible online presence with core data 2. Engage with the wider community using the internet and subsidiary products 3. Searchable SOFR website and portal to other forest information 4. Glossy ‘Executive Summary’ with photos www.brs.gov.au
Recommendations of the Review 5. Produce annually updated summary products (eg. Forests at a Glance) & a product placement marketing strategy 6. Develop theme-based forest fact sheets 7. Prepare stakeholder commentary as snapshot narratives 8. Involve the federal Minister in launching SOFR products, and actively promote new/updated web content to stakeholders 9. Simplify the branding of the Report 10.Investigate developing a website with a queriable, scaleable, real-time database with linkages to other data (viz: Canada, Finland, Japan) www.brs.gov.au
Recommendations of the Review – widening stakeholder access Engaging with the following: • General community • Students (and a section for teachers) • Media • Environmental movement • Other industry sectors www.brs.gov.au
Forests Australia Website Simple structure Self guiding Searchable keywords Links to State/Territory sustainability reports Links to other forest research sites Analysis & mapping capacity www.brs.gov.au
Employment Forest Fact Sheets Sustainable Yield Conservation Forest Type & Extent www.brs.gov.au
Water Certification www.brs.gov.au Fire Carbon
Review Recommendations Not Supported 1. Stakeholder Narratives ‘Here’s what our stakeholders say’ - A healthy way to engage with key stakeholders Decision : Untested so not to be pursued at this stage 2. ‘Value Free’ or Analysis and Interpretation Decision : Remain independent, but work with others to take up this task www.brs.gov.au
Opportunities and Threats for C&I reporting in Australia Threats – Increased productivity in public service (less $$) – High staff turnover (loss of corporate knowledge) – Varying levels of senior management support for C&I – Varying levels of individual commitment to C&I, especially by those in positions of influence – C&I still perceived by many as an overhead, rather than integral, to forest management, though changing at the forest management level www.brs.gov.au
Opportunities and Threats for C&I reporting in Australia Opportunities – RFA Act 2002 … the (federal) Minister must cause to be established a comprehensive and publicly available source of information for national and regional monitoring and reporting in relation to all of Australia’s forests… – States increasingly adopting C&I approach for reporting – Strong coordination between national and state agencies with responsibilities for forest management and reporting – Increasing demand for evidenced-based policy – Rapid advances in internet technologies www.brs.gov.au
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