An adaptive participatory approach for developing an ecosystem services framework for South East Queensland, Australia

This article describes the adaptive participatory approach that was adopted to develop an ecosystem services framework for planning and natural resource management in South East Queensland (SEQ) Australia. SEQ is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, placing strong development pressures on ecosystems and the environment. The SEQ Ecosystem Services Project addresses the need to protect and enhance ecosystems in the region, contributing to the general well-being of the population. The key aim of the Project has been to develop an ecosystem services framework (the SEQ Ecosystem Services Framework or simply the Framework) and incorporate it in policy and planning relevant to the SEQ region. The Framework developed is now officially recognized by the Queensland and local governments in policy and planning documents and in State of the Region reporting. The Framework is based on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), with modifications that make it more suitable for application at the regional scale and for the particular conditions of SEQ. The Project has been coordinated by a non-government organization in collaboration with government, universities, other non-government organizations, business and industry. This article describes the important features of the approach, such as the direct participation of experts and/or stakeholders (more than 160 in all); the use of relatively simple systems models based on subjective expert judgements about causal connections among key variables; transparency of results; maps to support spatial planning; and the ability to revise the baseline information as the outcomes of management and planning decisions take place.