Workshop at AIMS on December 5th 2006

This workshop is designed to address the adaptive deployment of sensor networks in the Great Barrier Reef coast and the delivery of real-time spatial information.

Goals for the workshop:

(a) to brief managers and scientists on the current development of sensor networks as a tool for natural resource management,
(b) to identify management needs and priorities for the development of sensor networks for policy and management applications,
(c) to identify further actions needed to develop sensor network applications for natural resource management.

Participants will;

1. develop an understanding of how the iterative development and adaptive deployment of sensor networks can play a significant role in the decision-making process;

2. comprehend relationship and core issues between developers (scientists) and users (managers) of technology;

3. devise a list of priority management questions/issues (scope-scale, timeline and implementation) that can be immediately addressed or future answered by data provided by the sensor networks;

4.identify key elements in information process of capturing, utilizing, and delivering properly, relevant and accessible data of the science to the policy and management processes;

5. develop concrete strategies for delivery and presentation of sensors spatial datasets;

6. set up date and provisory agenda of a 2nd round workshop 2007.

7. learn and engage in discussion about how to apply sensor networks data to work environment based on iterative experiences and adaptive management.

Participants will recieve;

1. a summary report on the main outcomes from the workshop,

2. inviation to participate in follow-up activities such as an online network-discussion forum interface and collaborative wiki will allow continuous and dynamic debates on issues about coastal management – information and communication technologies, spatial information, and participation between Australian and worldwide experts.

Draft Program:

0830 - 0900 Welcome, Introductions

0900 - 1000 The Sensor Networks & Overview of Demos: Stuart Kininmonth (AIMS) & Ian Atkinson (JCU)

1000 – 1030 International Perspective on Coastal Management: Andrew J. Brooks (Moorea Coral Reef LTER, USA) and Tung-Yung Fan (National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Taiwan)

1030 - 1100 Break

1100 – 1130 Interfaces of science and management: Simon Woodley (Environmental Consultant)

1130 – 1200 The utilization of new technologies and spatial information to support stakeholder’s participation in management & WebGIS Demo: Debora De Freitas (JCU)

1200 - 1300 Lunch

1300 – 1330 GBRMPA: Katrina Goudkamp

1330 - 1530 Group discussion
Topics include:
* Technology deployment and management needs
* Policy and science priorities
* Channels to delivery information (focus on WebGIS)

1600 - 1630 Workshop content and wrap-up (review notes-short report)

Overall Approach

The adaptive deployment of the sensor networks grounded on Adaptive Management and Sense-making approaches will provide a framework that enables communication and collaborative learning in the decision making process.

Characterized as an iterative and flexible process, adaptive management allows continually improvement of management policies and practices by learning from the outcomes of operational programs. In this way, adaptive management provides a suitable platform in addressing gaps between research and management by both perceiving management interventions as tools for learning and by enabling dynamic feedback between availability of scientific data and policy requirements.

The Sense-making approach provides a framework for an interactive and dynamic process about knowledge management that involves the use of context to understand how people look at a situation and what sense they make of the use of the phenomenon under study. Because management is based on making sense of the context in with it occurs, a user-centred study of a spatial information needs and development contributed to a broader view of how individuals and groups seek to understand events and information mediated within geographic information technologies.

Overall, it is expected that:

1) it is possible to design and implement communication and information systems and practices that are responsive to managers and decision makers needs and

2) that the achievement of desired outcomes requires the development of communication-based methodological approaches.

Your thoughtful a meaningful input will help us to address how the deployment of the sensor networks and delivery of real-time spatial information can best suit managers and decision-makers needs by providing timely and useful data.

for more information contact Débora De Freitas or Stuart Kininmonth

Supported by: Australian Institute of Marine Sciences: http://www.aims.gov.au/
James Cook University: http://www.jcu.edu.au Program: