The values, concerns and recommendations which came out of this exhaustive consultation were then assessed through a rigorous process, led by project staff Natalie Waller and Sarah Rizvi, and then further assessed by the project steering committee and board of directors. The criteria on which we used to assess the Plan can be found here.

The planning doesn’t stop once the Plan has been adopted. While we will move into a “doing” stage, reviewing and reflecting on our efforts and pathways is a necessary part of improving our performance. Therefore, the planning involves an Adaptive Management Strategy to continually develop knowledge and collect evidence to facilitate internal evaluation and adaptation of NRM delivery in the Northern Gulf region, tracking against the Plan. This approach represents an evolution from static Plans which become increasingly less relevant as they age, to “planning as a process” where assumptions and relevance are reviewed and assessed on an ongoing basis for the currency period of the NRM Plan, and beyond. For this evolution to be successful, it will require a culture shift which encourages NRM delivery to be more reflective, more strategic and ultimately, more effective.