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Genuine Community Engagement in Remote Dryland Regions: Natural Resource Management in Lake Eyre Basin
Author(s) -
MEASHAM THOMAS G.,
RICHARDS CAROL,
ROBINSON CATHERINE J.,
LARSON SILVA,
BRAKE LYNN
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geographical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.695
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-5871
pISSN - 1745-5863
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-5871.2011.00688.x
Subject(s) - geography , natural resource , community engagement , arid , natural (archaeology) , officer , resource (disambiguation) , government (linguistics) , natural resource management , environmental resource management , resource management (computing) , environmental planning , political science , public relations , ecology , environmental science , archaeology , computer network , linguistics , philosophy , computer science , law , biology
Remote dryland regions are characterised by sparse populations and socially marginalised voices which pose particular challenges to natural resource management. This paper considers the issue of how to achieve community engagement in regions with these characteristics. In doing so, the paper contributes to an expanding international research agenda focusing on the distinct characteristics of arid and semi‐arid regions under the heading of ‘dryland syndrome’. The paper draws on government liaison officer and local community perspectives of successful engagement in the case‐study region of Lake Eyre Basin, Australia. The results demonstrate that widely recognised characteristics of successful engagement are required but insufficient for genuine engagement in remote dryland regions. In addition to building trust through community ownership, being inclusive, effective communication, and adequate resources, genuine community engagement in drylands also requires respecting the extreme conditions and extraordinary variability of these areas. Residents of dryland regions seek genuine engagement yet engage opportunistically when seasons are conducive and when tangible outcomes are visible.