Monitoring and Evaluation
SECTION D MONITORING AND EVALUATION
D1.0 A Framework for Monitoring and Evaluation
The effectiveness of the Torbay Catchment Restoration Plan is to be demonstrated through monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes. These are to show:- Resource condition change
- Rate of implementation
- Effectiveness of implementation
- Acceptance of change by community and partner organisations
- Better understanding of the systems involved
These measures then need to show achievement of the aspirational goals and objectives of the Torbay Catchment Group (TCG) for each of the seven Management Themes through improvement in indicators of catchment health.
The efficiency of an M&E program is in ensuring that the measures adequately indicate the goal, objective or target that they represent. This requires that representative indicators are clearly identified. Some indicators for M&E are being measured currently. There will be other indicators required.
The Torbay Catchment Restoration Plan is based on change management. A significant requirement of M&E is to show that investment in practice change is resulting in resource condition improvement. However, brokering practice change according to a prepared restoration plan is undertaken within a continuously changing 'operating environment' (i.e. the social, economic and environmental factors that influence normal decision-making processes). An important component of change is through improved understanding and knowledge of the systems being managed.
The processes that allow adjustment of decisions in response to a changing operating environment are described as adaptive management. Figure D1 shows the adaptive management cycle that is based on planning, action, monitoring and review.
Figure D1 - Monitoring and evaluation in the Adaptive Management cycle.
Evaluation of the measures of indicators for change should be delivered into the Adaptive Management Cycle. The performance of the implementation program is measured against the Management Action Targets over time. The effectiveness of the actions in achieving resource condition change is also measured over time.
The review processes are critical to the effectiveness of the adaptive management cycle. Monitoring information is to be evaluated in accordance with the implementation program to enable the Implementation Steering Committee to adjust priorities for investment. It is proposed that this is a specific set of tasks undertaken by the Implementation Steering Committee lead by the Department of Environment on a 6 month basis.