Title: WRA Database Project Description

Summary view:

The Weed Risk Assessment Database will enable weed risk assessments to be assessed and shared with the objective of enabling members of The Weed's Network to learn about and optimise their investments in weed preventing, controlling and/or eradicating.

Detailed view:

An advanced database was required by weed stakeholders to deal with information about a large number of complex weed risks and to share this information with other weed stakeholders. A consistent and transparent platform was needed in order to optimise stakeholder cooperation and learning. This is especially the case when funding limitations mean that not all weed risks can be managed.

Using a leading-edge Web 2.0 platform (Traction TeamPage), a databse system for weed research has been implemented by Dr David Low under the auspices of The Weed's Network. The new Traction-based e-science platform will enable weed stakeholders to systematically identify key weed risks and examine the likelihood and consequences of the occurrence of each risk. This information is collected into a database system that is accessible via the web. The on-line risk assessments form the basis of weed profiles specific to habitats, sectors and/or industries. Collectively, the system creates a invasive species risk profiler for a wide range of user contexts.

If the expected likelihood and/or consequence of a weed risk is suspected to be high (due to such factors as multiple pathway vectors and/or site disturbance) the database will provide information that will assist in the effective delivery of weed policy actions to manage or dissolve the risk factors identified. In this manner, biosecurity policies and interventions can be considered rapidly within a context of uncertainty to enable optimised actions and outcomes.

The database's Traction platform facilitates and tracks communication at each step of the weed risk management process stakeholders have input and can understand weed risk factors that are relevant to their decision-making. In achieving this outcome, the information system assists stakeholders by providing a clearer framework for policy responses with regard to weeds.

For example, there is a currently a critical need to generate knowledge that will inform adaptation strategies for weed management in future climates. The WRA database will assist climate scenario planning to be undertaken based on weed risk modelling and stakeholder input. This helps planners and managers to understand actual and potential weed risks and movements under climate change.

More specifically, under the influence of climate change, the database will:



Project rephrased as a systemic route metaphor:

The WRA Database is an information system that integrates existing weed risk and weed decision support systems so that the whole system is transformed into a system to:

  1. Demonstrate the relevance of weed risk assessments to key stakeholder groups by building and maintaining a credible resource based in scientific weed research.
  2. Provide public and private land/water managers with weed information to enable them to adapt their specific weed control/prevention systems to their current situation and policy frameworks.
  3. Help weed stakeholders to understand current weed control and/or prevention systems by jointly learning with other weed stakeholders the key features that create ongoing agro-ecosystem viability and resiliance in an environment of changing weed priorities.


Logic to above ordering:

  1. Initiation within context
  2. Relevance to connected systems
  3. Ongoing learning / collaboration


TWOCAG analysis:

Transformation

a) Learning about weeds not considered or integrated within land management decision-making → learning about weeds considered and integrated within stakeholder decision-making, b) Weed related investments not optimised → weed related investments optimised

Worldview

When and how to best intervene in an agro-ecosystems can be determined by collaborative and sustained leaning and collaboration within those systems

Ownership

Dr David Low, Monash University - School of Biological Sciences

Community

Land and water managers

Actors

Land and water managers

Guardians

Agro-ecosystems (via feedback on their viabilty)


Environment (pragmatic considerations):

E1 = purpose (is the system helping us to learn how to best deal with weeds?)

E2 = efficiency (are the connected subsystems delivering the learning transformation with minimum resources → how much waste is the system creating in doing what it is supposed to be doing?)

E3 = elegance (is the transformation meeting its higher level purpose → does the system help Victorian agro-ecosystems survive and prosper?)

Conceptual model implemented:

  1. Defined who land and water managers are (The Weed's Network - self selected stakeholders)
  2. Understood existing and planned weed control systems
  3. Understood existing and planned decision-support systems (human, computerised and nature based)
  4. Found out what would constitute an improvement within these systems
  5. Knowing what constitutes an improvement in weed and pest management from the point of view of land and water managers
  6. Identified possible technologies and cooperative human strategies to achieve improvements (i.e., concluded that a weed risk assessmetn information system wouild help to create an improvement in the situation)
  7. Understood and integrated a systems vision for an improved decision-making platform (integrating human, computerised and nature based components identified as helpful above)
  8. Obtained budget and rules for spending and incorporated these into step 6 & 7 (Sponsorship funding model)
  9. Provided the system with management strategies to implement continuous improvements in invasive species management.
  10. Derived measures to ascertain if transformation is taking place (user site metrics)
  11. Monitored improvements and reported on learning (e.g., the present document -- your critical feedback is welcome.)




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references (1)
WeedsNews2459: Monash e-Research Centre sponsors Weeds Information Network
Article: wra3842 (permalink)
Date: 6 November 2009; 12:13:09 PM AEDT

Author Name: David Low
Author ID: adminDavid