soil-conservation-people-religion-and-land.pdf - South West NRM

I' -
sacrifice individual benefit for the sake of @'the common
good" .
is of the 1978 recommendations shows that while
aspects of soil conservation policy have been
com&e&Jy identified as barriers to progress, only very
recently have these matters been given serious attention
(Senate Committee, 1987). The accumulating evidence that much
of our export earnings have been at the expense of our soils,
has caused more realistic consideration to be given to
protecting this national asset which generates over 40% of
such earnings. This matter has now become so vital to the
future of this nation that the writer is calling for a
national forum to consider alternative proposals for equitable
financing of sound land management. Both direct and indirect
fiscal policy is appropriate and nothing less than the entire
national tax base would be a legitimate source of funds if
Australia's future is at risk.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a place for regulations
in the framework within which land care committees must
function. While the very notion of land use controls cuts
across many independently-minded landholders8 principles, as a
final (and hopefully little-used) factor in land use policy,
enforcable guidelines may be required where the majority are
being prevented from achieving common unity goals, by
uncooperative individuals. This principle already applies
across much of our democracy and its legal system and has long
been accepted in the zoning of local areas for particular uses
(Roberts, 1986a) .
Functionins of Land Care Groux>s
The tzonnotations of names such as Land Management, Land
iTti-idation, Land Care and Soil Conservation, as applied tc
local landholder groups, have an important imagery for both
members and outsiders. For this reason the choice of name and
more importantly, the careful wording of objectives, are
important starting points for local action. The identity and
community image-.of the group are essential prerequisites to
local__commitment . _-_l
In turn, the preparation of meaningful
p r ~ - j and ~ g action plans are essential to achieving
obj e and to maintaining involvement. After meeting with
memb -of
approximately 40 district soil conservation
commifFees in Western Australia a set of common elements of
success were identified by the writer. The differences
between more successful and less unsuccessful committees are
reflected in the list presented in Appendix 2.
While appropriate leadership is necessary, the development of
a sequential plan of action is an essential early step in
gaining commitment and maintaining the momentum of individual
involvement. Such a plan of action can take many forms and
the writer has found a circular diagram of the following type
to be useful: