New Dimensions in Planning Agriculture Landscapes

Decision Time
Improved planning for agricultural land

The challenge
There is no method or single approach to help policy-makers decide on the best approach for agricultural land use at a catchment or bioregion level. Landholders, planners, scientists and the community have a different understanding and varying approaches to tackling the issues.

The strategy
To establish a framework for decision-making on land use based on economic and environmental returns and impacts, resulting in a 'blue-print' for Victoria's landscapes.

The project

• Consult with stakeholders, including state and local government and catchment management authorities, on their needs and expectations.
  
  
• Review existing landscape assessment tools, such as the Catchment Assessment Tool and the Geospatial Salinity Hazard and Risk Prioritisation Tool.
  
  
• Build on existing tools and integrate the different capabilities into a planning framework.
  
  
• Test the framework in selected landscape areas.