advances in the development of the coastal lake assessment and management (clam) tool letcher, r.a.,...
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Advances in the development of the Coastal Advances in the development of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM)
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Letcher, R.A., Ticehurst, J.L., Merritt, W.S.Letcher, R.A., Ticehurst, J.L., Merritt, W.S.
Integrated Catchment Assessment and Management Centre
Outline
What is CLAM? History of CLAM development CLAM uses and development approach Custodianship and accreditation
What is CLAM?
The Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tool was developed to allow stakeholders, in particular Local Government Planners, to assess the social, economic and environmental trade-offs associated with development, remediation and use options for coastal lakes and estuaries
The tool consists of a software package which relies on a Bayesian Network approach to model the lake system • Uses a process that relies heavily on stakeholder and expert
feedback and open documentation of underlying assumptions and data sources
CLAM is not only a software system but an approach to model development and communication
CLAM Tools
Use methods developed in DNR funded pilot study which aimed to assess the sustainability of eight coastal lakes on NSW coast (Sustainability Assessments of NSW Coastal Lakes: 2004 to 2005)
Features of the CLAM tool• Simple representation of complex systems, including social, economic,
ecological and physical processes and their connection• Able to incorporate quantitative and qualitative data (e.g. observed data,
model simulation, expert knowledge)• Extensive internal documentation of model and data assumptions and
quality• Implicitly recognises the level of uncertainty in results and hence
confidence in the outputs by using conditional probabilities• Easy to update as new information becomes available
CLAM does not make decisions for you but can be used to aid in decision making by clarifying the trade-offs involved
History of CLAM2002: Healthy Rivers Commission Independent Inquiry into Coastal Lakes; Cabinet Office releases a Statement of Intent for implementation of the Coastal Lakes Strategy
2004: As part of the CCA program, iCAM contracted by DNR to develop sustainability assessment methodologies for 8 NSW coastal lakes
2006: Training workshops on application and tailoring of the Coastal Lake Assessment and Management (CLAM) tools
2006: Economic component of Back Lake and Merimbula Lake CLAMs revised (DEC, Gillespie Economics)
2006+: CLAM project developing applications for 16 coastal lakes in northern NSW (NRCMA)
2005: iCAM contracted to develop prototype CLAM tools for Smiths and Wallis Lakes
2005: iCAM sub-contracted to complete parts of the HSC funded ICM Development project
What can CLAM be used for?
To understand the social, economic and environmental trade-offs associated with management of coastal lakes
To facilitate and promote discussion between planners and the wider community regarding the management of an estuarine system
As an educational and learning process for communities and government bodies
To support development of Estuary Management Plans
CLAM development process
The extent of model review in stages 7 and 8 depends on the available resources (time, money and/or information) and the level of response from stakeholders
Users should be aware of the aims, strengths and limitations of each CLAM tool when using its output to inform a decision
Stage Phase
1 Build understanding of constraints, issues and targets for lake and catchment health
2 Develop an initial conceptual framework for BDN and potential future scenarios
3 Review BDN framework with stakeholders
4 Revise initial framework
5 Populate BDN links with data
6 Incorporate the BDN model into a user friendly software platform
7 Review the interface and populated BDN with stakeholders
8 Revise interface and populated BDN to reflect stakeholder feedback
9 Distribute the sustainability assessment tool to relevant stakeholders with appropriate training in its use
How should CLAM be used?
CLAM aims to represent the best available knowledge on impacts in an integrated way
Knowledge of many key variables is frequently very poor• CLAM approach to is include these in the framework and use the
best available data• Reflect and document the poor quality information to provide
direction on where further monitoring or studies should be carried out
• Provide a framework for this information to be included in the assessment once it becomes available
CLAM results should always be actively questioned and should only be accepted after close consideration
Use CLAM as the basis of a communication process• Do people agree or disagree with the results?• Why?• Can they reach consensus on the nature of the impacts? Why/why
not?• Do these impacts matter and is there any action that could be taken
to reduce the impacts
CLAM Custodianship
Anyone can change model data:• This is the case with any model (not just CLAM)• How can users ensure the model can change and grow while
maintaining the quality assurance of the product?• Who will be allowed to have copies of the model and under what
conditions can they be used?
Who maintains the model and ensures proper documentation procedures are followed?
Our preferred approach:• CLAM management group to critically review and
manage changes into the future (data, nodes and scenarios)
• Central management & key contact person (local council, DNR, CMA or consultant) to maintain the ‘accepted’ CLAM
CLAM Roll-out
CLAM is moving from a development phase to an implementation phase• Creating a group of people outside ANU who can
develop, update and maintain CLAM tools to break the reliance on ANU researchers for these tasks
• Ensuring a modest income stream to enable maintenance and development of the software into the future
• Quality assurance of CLAM products
Roll-out approach
CLAM user training• Broad based training sessions for communities on the use of
individual CLAM tools • Aims to teach people the appropriate uses of the CLAM tool
and provide them with enough training to use CLAM for making decisions
• Focus has been on local council staff and Councillors, Estuary Management Committees and State Government staff
CLAM developer training and accreditation• Narrow and intense training in CLAM development and
methods• Focus has been on consultants to provide Councils etc with
a locally based and accessible group of CLAM developers• Accreditation process to ensure maintained quality of the
CLAM approach and products
Trained
Pass all modules
Refund training registration
costs
Accredited
Attend training workshop Registration
fee
CLAM projects managed by ANUE1st application
Management fee A
2nd application Management fee B
Future applications Future applications Future applications Management fee C
Current accreditations
Accredited
Mat Birch, BAES
Jennita Gay, ABER
Charlie Hewitt, Geolink
Verity Rollason, WBM
Tim Ruge, Geolink
Damon Telfer, GECO
Trained and currently undertaking 1st supervised project
Angus Fergusson, ABER Robert McKenzie, Ecotech
Group Robert Mezzatesta, Eco
Logical Australia David Pont, Ecotech Group
Trained Lachlan Whetham,
Aquafirma