A Case Study of Conservation Management?
Michael
Yeates
BArch
MEnvEd MScEnvMan
Indooroopilly
4068
Telephone 07
33719355
ABSTRACT
Keywords:
management, com-munity education, consultation, community based decision
making, conservation.
Many urban areas offer remnants of previous
environmental fauna and flora conditions which provide extensive opportunities
for community based environ- mental management projects to enhance community
skills and awareness while encouraging better practices within authorities
responsible for the areas.
Sandy Creek flows through a golf course owned by
Brisbane City Council and managed by the Department of Recreation and Health,
which is the department responsible for
environmental management.
Recent works carried out as
"improvements" to the golf course provide an opportunity to review
the current processes and effectiveness of and commitment to environmental
management and ecologically sustainable development through reduction of human
impacts.
Possibilities for enhancing the development and
demonstration of outcomes which would demonstrate "best practices"
for rehabilitation and management of urban creek systems adjacent to tidal
ecosystems are considered from a community environmental education perspective.
BACKGROUND :
Sections
of the original water course run through parks and other forms of open space.
However, it is not until Sandy Creek reaches the eastern alignment of Jack
Speare Park (the Taringa Soccer Club grounds) that it emerges from the pipes
into the sunlight, and then only in a pumpwell location where the stream is
used to water the soccer fields.
The
catchment has been suggested as the site for a water quality study by the
Brisbane City Council given the homogeneity of the upstream development. The
catchment was also the site of an application for funds from the Department of
Primary Industries for a community project to trial the Waterwatch programme, a
school and community based water quality monitoring and educational programme
developed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the Queensland
Department of Education.
Interested
members of the local community sought to develop an increased interest in the
CURRENT KNOWLEDGE
However,
the quality of the residual, downstream part of the
The
Sandy Creek catchment is typical of the very prevalent residual precincts where
a community of interest could, and perhaps, should seek to promote, assess,
model and perhaps, achieve the benefits of ecologically sustainable development
by the application of conservation strategies which identify and protect the
specific and relatively rare, urban ecological resources such as riparian
formations and existing fauna and flora before further development, whether in
the form of "improvements" or "maintenance" occurs.
HISTORY
The St
Lucia Golf Course was formerly the privately owned Indooroopilly Golf Club
(IGC), which commencing in 1926 was progressively developed by it's members.
The initial "... 124 acres of freehold land which they bought rolls from
the clubhouse to the Brisbane River and offers river views, a winding creek and
fine stands of native trees" (IGC,1976).
The
process leading to the course being owned by the Council commenced in the early
1960's when construction of a second course commenced at Long Pocket in 1961.
By
1976, Brisbane City Council and Indooroopilly Golf Club had agreed to the
construction of another course and new clubhouse at Long Pocket by the
Indooroopilly Golf Club with the Council then taking over the previous
Indooroopilly (now
The
existing St Lucia Golf Course has, therefore, been managed by the Council for
nearly 20 years during which the predominant management requirement has been
that of "improving" the property for golf. Under valuing of the
amenity and conservation values of the property has combined with the needs of
golfers to set in place processes which continue to erode the amenity and
conservation values.
Widening
of the margins to the fairways has reduced the loss rate of golf balls for the
increased number of inexperienced players who use public courses but has also
substantially reduced the "fine stands of native trees" at the
perimeter of the property and in the "islands" between the fairways.
Increased
use of the "margins" for dumping waste or holding sites for excess
filling and for storage of materials has further eroded the environmental
quality and value of the property as demonstrated, for example, along
Similarly,
the high bank along the
Such
management is in stark contrast to the concerns expressed at various levels of
government for improved environmental management and restoration of the quality
and amenity of rivers and their catchments.
In
particular, the contrast between the concern for the environment and the actual
practices of these authorities exemplifies the necessity for such authorities
to engage in both policy and management development.
GOOD POLICY .... OR GOOD PRACTICE?
The
combination of previous history and the presumed failure of the Brisbane City
Council to incorporate adequate environmental management into the golf course
management became obvious to the public when increasing quantities of excavated
matter were dumped near the creek as it emerges from the tree lined area into
the fairway area near
On the
weekend of
MORE HISTORY
Inquiry
at the Ward Office of the Councillor for the area on 22 May provided no
information but suggested a call to the Golf Course Manager at Victoria Park,
the other Council-owned public golf course. A meeting was arranged on site at
the St Lucia Golf Course on May 24, late in the afternoon.
However,
as Council vehicles were required to be returned very soon after the
An
inquiry had been made to the Waterways and Wetlands (Manage-ment) Section which
is within the same Council department as the golf course management (Department
of Recreation and Health). Despite
appearing to know nothing about the project, officers of that section were
sufficiently interested to attend the meeting and appeared to share some of my
concerns.
Budgetary
constraints and the need to excavate the small water storage dam used by the
Council for irrigation of the course made any changes to the proposed works
impossible. The proposed works however, proved to be substantially
undocumented.
A
photograph of a rock lined water course from a major redevelopment site at the
Gold Coast (Robina) was offered together with basic sketches prepared for or by
Council's Asset Management Section.
THE PROBLEM
The
problem that emerges appears to be typical of strongly managerial and
structured systems. It appears that the various sections of the one Council
Department had not been in contact despite an expectation that the Waterways
and Wetlands expertise would be relevant to such a project.
This
raises the fundamental question as to whether
Community
intervention also raised the question as to whether Council could not (or did
not want to) address the current issue, for example, by preventing the work
until the Wetlands and Waterways and conservation issues were fully addressed.
Council
officers advised that the funds were excess to budget and had to be spent and
in addition, had been partially committed although contractors’ names were not
available.
CURRENT PRACTICE OR .....
What
emerges from this case study is an illustration of the ease with which valuable
environmental amenity can be destroyed on the pretext of practical necessity,
supported by pragmatic rationale and managerial imperatives which allow
particular interests to exclude others.
The
Golf Course Manager refused to discuss the need for intervention of broader
environ-mental interests by representing the needs of his clients as essential
and not negotiable. The Waterways and Wetlands officers did not, or could not,
act to support the view that more time was essential to review the broader
issues of environmental responsibility. Some important engineer-ing details
were modified to include the provision of a flatter batter and soil retaining
lining material to the banks of the creek. If necessary, these should have been
included in the "design" prepared by the Council.
On
Sunday, May 28, I visited the site with an experienced civil engineer. We took
detailed photographs and discussed possible options. By
THE CAUSES OF PROBLEMS THAT THEN NEED TO BE
“MANAGED”
Why
was this work carried out without the approval that would be necessary for any
other construction authority? If
Why
was the work necessary and whose interests were represented in the decision
making processes? What is the "public interest" in such decisions?
What
is the ultimate effect of processes such as those illustrated in this case
study? What outcomes have they for both the upstream and downstream riverine
conditions including the conservation and restoration of relatively scarce
resources? Can policy development produce the changes necessary to change the
current practices which are the cause of much environmental degradation?
Does
the increased emphasis on reversing damage to natural areas for example through
Waterwatch and Landcare, allow the
continuance of the current damaging practices in areas not as yet sufficiently
damaged to warrant improved management?
The
The
large area of rushes in the creek meant that many golfers lost balls in the
hazard. This is part of the nature of golf. The shallow areas meant that
retrieval of golf balls was possible if they could be found. However,
increasing trampling at the edges led to attempts to cut the rushes at low
level providing an unmanageable and visually poor area. The two existing
culverts which provided access across the creek had been very poorly protected
at the abutments such that "asset management" was deemed necessary to
provide further protection. These sections of the creek have now been excavated
and lined with loose rocks. The apparent assumption is that there will, in the
short term, be no further need to excavate the creek.
Further
downstream, the water supply dam and upstream creek was excavated to remove
fill which has built up in as little as 4-5 years according to the Council.
This is likely to be a recurring problem unless appropriate catchment
management is introduced.
Extensive
areas of grass, some of which is poorly covered, leads to high run-off rates at
the margins. Some margins, in particular along
The
whole catchment is also in a continuous redevelopment phase with new building
sites common and no site run-off controls implemented and all stormwater from
all paved and roofed areas is required to be piped to the stormwater drainage system.
Local
knowledge suggests that two major construction sites are likely to be the
source of substantial quantities of external materials which contribute to the
deposits in the golf course section of
However,
flood "management" provides the "necessity" for much of the
"maintenance" works. The
The
creek has been known to flood regularly over many years. It rises fairly
quickly in response to most storms. It therefore appears threatening and flood
mitigation is viewed as essential.
In the
relevant section however the gradient is relatively flat compared with the
level of the dam wall. Either side of the creek was relatively low with a wide
"flood plain". This has been progressively narrowed and filled
including in the work under review, to provide a minimum of damp area and a
maximum of playing area, in particular after rain. Thus the creek banks have
been progressively "managed" until they now require protection. This
strategy converts creeks into engineered drains such as that demonstrated by
ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES?
The
continuing management of sites such as the St Lucia Golf Course provide
examples of how and why previous and current engineering oriented management
appears to exacerbate problems.
Is
this due to the concentration upon single issue "problem-solution"
oriented management wherein the need to improve the golf course for golfers
subordinates or eliminates other criteria from the definition and consideration
of the problem?
The
solution to the golfing problem addresses the narrow problem definition and
tends to exclude other "problem-solution" mechanisms. Other problems
either remain or are exacerbated by the golfing solution until they emerge as
of significance.
The
environmental consequences of the golf oriented management of this site
illustrate the need for other forms of "problem-solution" resolution.
It is
necessary to redefine the problem if a new and perhaps better, solution is
necessary. As the problem is clearly not necessarily one of exclusive interest
only to golfers and golf course managers, a new approach to resolution is
necessary. Arguably, it should seek to include the wider range of interests by
seeking to build a larger community of interest such that the wider range of
interests continually informs the "problem-solution" process over
time.
An
approach such as this is well supported by iterative research and educational
theory. Much of the emphasis on consultation assumes the benefits of drawing
upon community knowledge and concerns.
However,
pragmatic "necessity" often implies that the "problem" is
so urgent and that effective iterative consultation is so time consuming, that
a "pragmatic solution" is essential.
Accordingly,
the benefit of iterative education for the interested community is not achieved
and current practices remain unchallenged.
A NEW MODEL
Some
"problems" require urgent resolution. However, the decision as to the
urgency cannot be made only by the proponent. To address such issues, both
"pragmatic" short term and "strategic" long term
"integrated solutions" are needed.
Pragmatic
solutions therefore must necessarily be less often relied upon to ensure that
"strategic" solutions are more often adopted and that the knowledge
and needs and concerns of the larger community of interest are addressed.
Accordingly,
a critical test of the commitment to achieving new "problem-solution"
processes is the extent to which the authority or organisation proposing
"development" is prepared to expose the proposal to a wide ranging
community of interest in order to seek a resolution of the "problem"
which includes the wider interest and addresses the concerns and knowledge of a
wider range of interests.
BETTER OUTCOMES?
A
commitment to "strategic" rather than "pragmatic" outcomes
does not of itself necessarily achieve better outcomes. That judgement can only
be made over longer periods of time.
However,
the process does ensure that current "policy" and various other
interests are able to be included rather than excluded.
Given
that many of the so-called environmental problems are the outcome of previous
and, in many cases, currently continuing dominant practices, such a process
offers the chance of examining the proposal and including alternatives.
The
time needed to achieve the iterative education benefits also provides the
necessary time and skills to consider whether "pragmatic" or
"strategic" outcomes should be sought. With the benefit of
recognition that the wider interests must necessarily be addressed, it is in
the proponents interest to address the "strategic" as well as the
"pragmatic" outcomes during consideration of the proposal.
It is
therefore a fundamental benefit that the "problem-solution" process
encourages the proponent to address the wider community of interest, knowing
that the approval of the proposal depends on satisfying the broader community
of interest which will be better informed by the approval process.
CONCLUSION
Using
the current "problem-solution" process of the management of the
Current
policy has failed to provide an adequate opportunity for the community of
interest to address the continuing degradation of the area as various forms of
development and "improvement" continue without the opportunity for
informed, community scrutiny.
The
commitment to processes which address both "strategic" as well as
"pragmatic" solutions to the problems of particular communities of interest
provides the opportunity for iterative education for all those involved in the
process as well as for the application of a wider range of knowledge.
The
process outlined in this paper therefore provides a means of avoiding or more
realistically, reducing the conflict between policy and practice, in particular
for authorities such as the Brisbane City Council, which is promoting
environmental policies but failing to include them adequately in current
projects.
By
including the wider community of interest, the iterative educative approach
provides both an education for all the participants as well as a means of
decision making which seeks to address problems from a "strategic"
rather than a "pragmatic" perspective. The outcomes of such projects
thus provide a model for continuing the iterative processes of ecologically
sustainable development.
Reference
Indooroopilly
Golf Club (1976) 1926 - 1976 : A
Half-Century of Golf at Indooroopilly Golf Club,
The author may be contacted at +61 7 3371 9355 or
email michaelm@myoffice.net.au