Partnerships and understanding towards targeted implementation

The Partnerships and Understanding Towards Targeted Implementation (PUTTI) research project brought landholders and catchment management authorities together to achieve the best outcomes for both farmers and catchment areas.

• 30 August 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Response
• Outcome

Developing improved catchment management in regional New South Wales (NSW) is vital to ensure the ongoing sustainability of farming communities in the area. However, current land management practices employed by landholders in this area are not necessarily best for catchments.

Response

Partnerships and Understanding Towards Targeted Implementation (PUTTI) is a three-year flagship study which helped Catchment Management Authorities in the Central West region of NSW tailor their approaches to support the uptake of improved natural resource management techniques by landholders.

The study included behavioural modelling to understand the key factors influencing landholder decisions, and a series of workshops investigating the future of landscapes and livelihoods from the perspective of landholder groups. 

The research, completed in late 2009, found that the more in control landholders felt over events or outcomes, the more they were willing to try new approaches to environmentally sustainable practices related to soil, weeds, vegetation, stock, perennial, and native vegetation management.

Landholders who felt in control were also more likely to be more innovative or take risks in their production techniques.

Outcome

The outcomes from this project are being incorporated into the day-to-day management practices of Catchment Management Authorities.

Several Landcare groups are also using the insights offered by the workshops to identify and pursue their approaches to natural resource management.

To find out more read the reports Identifying factors influencing land management practice [79 pages, 594 KB PDF]and Identifying factors influencing land management practices in the Lachlan Catchment [99 pages, 1.11 MB PDF].