1.   Strategic Planning, Scoping and Foresighting

With extensive experience (including senior positions in the Australian and State Government agencies) Auricht Projects Team has the necessary qualifications, plus a deep knowledge and proven capacity to provide services related to the design and implementation for a range of strategic planning and foresighting activities. Such services include:

  • policy development
  • program logic and frameworks
  • high level conceptualisation and synthesis
  • scoping, piloting and analysis
  • investment pathways
  • drivers and needs assessment, gap analysis, options definition and lessons learned
  • performance management evaluation.

2.   Sustainable Development & Climate Change Adaptation

With more than 150 years of combined experience in the natural resources, environment and sustainable development sectors, members within the Auricht Projects Team have the qualifications, expertise and demonstrated capacity to provide a range of services aimed at improved sustainable development within a changing climate paradigm including sustainable intensification, diversification and climate change adaptation. Christopher Auricht has undergraduate and graduate qualifications of applied science in natural resources management and 30 years’ experience in the sector. Joe Walker, Graham Yapp, Blair Wood and Richard Thackway all have extensive sustainable development related qualifications and collectively have held senior positions within the Australian Government focussed on improved sustainable land management and climate change adaptation.

In addition to appropriate qualification, skills and experience, Auricht Projects and its team members also have a proven working relationship with state, national and international agencies and organisations involved in the development and implementation of sustainable development and climate adaptation initiatives. These include:

International

  • United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)
  • United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
  • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
  • World Bank
  • Asian Development Bank
  • Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR)
  • International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
  • International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
  • Gates Foundation
  • International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
  • International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
  • World Agroforestry Centre (International Centre for Agroforestry Research, ICRAF)
  • World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
  • AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, New Zealand

 National

  • Australian Centre for International Development (ACIAR)
  • Australian International Food Security Centre (AIFSC)
  • Commonwealth Scientific Research Industrial Organisation (CSIRO)
  • Department for the Environment (DoE)
  • Department of Agriculture (DoA)
  • Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA)
  • National Water Commission (NWC)
  • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO)
  • CRC for Spatial Information (CRS SI)
  • CRC for Invasive Animals (CRC IA)
  • Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)

 State Agencies

  • Agriculture and environmental agencies within Australian State and Territory jurisdictions

3.   Business Requirements, Needs Assessment and User Reviews

Auricht Projects has a deep knowledge in the identification of business requirements and specific user needs, plus extensive experience in designing, implementing and synthesising data and information to provide increased business insights (including patterns and trends) and understandings.

We also recognise that within the NRM, environment and farming systems sectors there is an array of different user groups who require a range of data and information products. For example:

National, State and Territory governments

Ministers, government agencies, Ministerial councils and their standing committees require NRM data and information to:

  • underpin assessments of the status and trends in condition of Australia’s resources at scales that allow broad priorities to be set and outcomes to be measured against those priorities – includes establishing benchmarks, reporting criteria and identification of gaps;
  • guide policy and program development;
  • evaluate regional plans in the context of partnership initiatives (e.g. Caring for our Country), to ensure the plans are robust and address priority issues in the region;
  • monitor compliance with legislation;
  • Review, evaluation and assessment of policies, and strategies; and
  • meet regional, national and international reporting obligations.

Regional

Regional communities and organisations require NRM  data and information to:

  • underpin community participation in preparing, implementing and evaluating natural resource management plans;
  • help provide an understanding of the geographic distribution of various NRM themes e.g. soils, vegetation, invasive species and aquatic ecosystems and their status across the region;
  • track improvements in the condition of the environment and progress towards meeting targets and agreed outcomes in regional plans;
  • assess the effectiveness of land conservation and sustainable development activities; and
  • improve awareness of landscape processes.

Private sector

The private sector requires better NRM data and information to:

  • target investment – including the provision of advice to customers;
  • implement environmental management systems.

Scientific community

The scientific community requires improved NRM data and information to:

  • better understand biophysical processes – including testing hypothesis;
  • create improved landscape management tools (e.g. better simulation and conceptual models);
  • assess the environmental impact of land management practices e.g. farming systems, forestry, Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining etc;
  • develop and test improvements in management practices that underpin property management planning, land use planning, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agriculture; and;
  • develop improved natural resource management systems.

Adopted from ‘Australian Natural Resources Information’, NLWRA, 2002. Refer http://nrmonline.nrm.gov.au/downloads/mql:896/PDF and report

4.   Project and Program Level Review

Auricht Projects understands that projects and programs bring about change and involve a group of inter-related activities that are planned and then executed in a certain sequence to create a particular product, output or service within specific time frame. Auricht Projects team members have a proven capacity to undertake project and program level reviews with the necessary knowledge and expertise to provide services to all elements of the project/program life cycle from scoping and initiation to implementation and finalisation.

5.   Capacity Building and Technical Backstopping

Auricht Projects has a deep understanding of capacity building ranging from individual competencies through to organisational capability. Based on this knowledge we are able to integrate capacity building elements and benchmarking metrics into generic NRM projects and thereby measure impacts and progress resulting in considerable value add and organisational benefit. We have also used this expertise to provide technical backstopping and strategic support to numerous projects.

6.   Data Management and Information Systems

Auricht Projects has extensive expertise and experience in NRM data management and Information Systems developed over many years in working with numerous national and international agencies. Within this context members of the Auricht Projects team are recognised experts providing specialist services related to the development of complex global databases, analysis, and information products to underpin local, state, regional, national and global initiatives. Outputs of this work have been produced in numerous studies, books and national and international conferences.

7.   Indicators and Environmental Reporting

Auricht Projects has a strong understanding and a proven ability to deliver projects and programs related to the development of indicators and improved reporting of natural resource condition and trend information. Members of our team sit on numerous state, national and internationl indictor type panels.

8.   Standards and Framework Development

Auricht Projects has a proven ability to conceptualise and develop program logic and frameworks in support of improved management of natural resources. Members of the Auricht Projects team have long championed the adoption of standards and use of interoperability within the natural resources, environment and sustainable development sectors and have provided expert advice and input to numerous national and international initiatives.