This article examines current approaches to community-based river management in New Zealand. There is considerable private and public investment in community-based approaches to river catchment management nationally. A recently completed two-year project examined community-based integrated catchment management initiatives in New Zealand. This project identified a number of success factors and innovations found in community-based river management. Success factors include strategic planning, communication tools, partnership development, localised restoration and environmental education. Concerns are raised about the focus on evaluating process and socioeconomic outcomes of these initiatives without adequately addressing whether such initiatives improve the biophysical outcomes upon which they were originally founded.
展开▼
