new england sustainability strategy

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New England Sustainability Strategy

FINAL

February 2011

this project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its

and with support from



NEW ENGLAND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary..............................................3NESS Super Structure............................................5

Purpose.........................................................................6

Vision.................................................................................7

Positioning & Uniqueness................................11

Principles....................................................................13

Seven Key Focus Areas.................................. .15

Network Governance......................................18

Structure.......................................................................20

Financial & Legal Matters.................................21Roles & Responsibilities........................................22

Implementation....................................................23Sustainability Charter...........................................24

Integration Model..................................................25

Communication......................................................27

www.newenglandsustainability.org.au....28

Sustainability Speedo & Scorecard..... ... .29

Precautions..............................................................31

New England Sustainability Strategy3.. .32

Priority Next Steps ~ Key Focus Areas......33

Priority Next Steps ~ Governance...............34Additional Documentation...........................36

www.ness.wikidot.com NESS is an initiative of

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Illustration 1: Emily Thomas Moore & Stephen Gow, NESSiE ~ Accepting 2010 Armidale &

District Chamber of Commerce Award for NESS




EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The New England Region has been a place

of creating and exchanging knowledge for

tens of thousands of years by the world's

oldest continuous culture ~ Aboriginal

Australians.

Today, as a welcoming, multi-cultural and creative Region with strong

international links, it is well positioned to become a leader and model for

sustainability in the modern era – social, economic, environmental and cultural.Such action is of regional, national and global significance.

Addressing sustainability is an urgent regional necessity. There are complex and

interlinked challenges for the New England including resource depletion, too

narrow an economic base, heavy reliance on fossil fuel energy and transport,

fragmented networks, groups working in silos and unhealthy competition.

The inaugural Sustainability Scorecard convened in 2010 assessed the New

England's sustainability and determined that while it has 'marginally improved'since 2008 ~ when work on the New England Sustainability Strategy began ~ it

remains overall in a state of degradation, eating into social, economic and

environmental resources inherited from the past and borrowed from the future.

At the same time though there are significant opportunities emerging which

could benefit the Region if greater leadership is taken on sustainability: including

enterprise in renewable energy, regional carbon sequestration and biodiversity

banks, exporting regional expertise in research, education and professional

services with new sustainability knowledge, technology, practices and culture.

A culture of creativity, innovation and inclusion that lies at the heart of this great

transition towards sustainability for the Region. Building trust in the community,

allowing people to have their say and listening to them, bringing the community

together are some of the key values and behaviours for sustainability which can

enable the Region to build the required community ownership and take the

required responsibility.


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A high level of community participation, support and ownership has been

generated from the 2½ years of work establishing the New England Sustainability

Strategy. More than 1,000 people have directly participated in the developmentprocess already ~ Public Forums, Working Groups, Round Tables, Community

Forums, social networking sites and discussion Blogs. This massive collective effort

to date has been very significant, perhaps even globally unique. In terms of

participation alone it is possible we a nearing a tipping point, about to move to a

new level. This bodes well for the potential to achieve sustainability.

Participants have come from a wide range of organisations, areas of expertise

and interest, right across the region and beyond. New networks and relationships

are emerging from this diversity of people working together, forming thescaffolding of this whole of community approach to sustainability.

New groups and initiatives have emerged ~ Sustainable Living Armidale, The

University of New England Strategic Sustainability Committee, High Country Urban

Biodiversity Project, Armidale Council's Sustainable Living Guide, Northern Inland

Sustainable Business Network, Farming the Sun , East Armidale Sustainable Trade &

Environmental Learning Centre, Aboriginal Regional Partnership Agreement, Uralla

Community Climate Change Forum, Climate Change Adaptation Pathways

Project and New England Wind ~ and existing initiatives have strengthened ~Sustainable Living Expo, TAFE New England Institute's sustainable campus,

Armidale Council's Woodsmoke Initiative and too many more to mention.

The New England Sustainability Strategy identifies a shared vision which is

beginning to emerge, with seven key focus areas addressing the business of

biodiversity, new energy, economic innovation, cultural creativity and capacity,

social inclusion and wellbeing, youth and space for wild ideas to bloom.

A framework for a comprehensive measurement scorecard has been establishedto guide reporting, data aggregation and analysis to assess progress and

performance across key priority areas and the shift to sustainability.

While a substantial foundation has been established this work is a process in

constant motion and evolution. Ongoing involvement, integration and learning

through collaboration of the network of stakeholders, organisations and

community members remains central to the success of this endeavour.


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NESS SUPER STRUCTURE

PURPOSE, VISION & PRINCIPLES

The purpose of NESS is to contribute to achieving the vision for a creative, diverse,

inclusive and sustainable high country city-region community by bringing

together the wide array of interests, organisations and people who have a stake

in the sustainability of the New England Region to collaboratively plan, measure,

learn and implement initiatives to achieve this vision.|

POSITIONING & UNIQUENESS

|

SEVEN KEY FOCUS AREAS & INITIATIVE CLUSTERS

High Country Regeneration

New Energy

Enterprising Economy

Culture, Capability & Identity

Social Inclusion & Wellbeing

YOUNG☺

Wild Flowers Bloom|

NETWORK GOVERNANCE

~ NESSiE: New England Sustainability Strategy Executive ~

Secretariat & Advisory Council

New England Sustainability Foundation|

SUSTAINABILITY SPEEDO & SCORECARD

Annual Report & Round Table Analysis|

IMPLEMENTATION & INTEGRATION

Integration Model, Sustainability Charter & Annual Public Forum

(Major Review of NESS in 2015)|

WEB PORTAL & COMMUNICATION

~ Knowledge Base, Learning Stories, Brand & Community Engagement ~|

PRECAUTIONS


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PURPOSE

The purpose of the New England Sustainability Strategy, nicknamed NESS, is to

create a whole of region and whole of community approach to addressing the

sustainability of the southern New England Tablelands Region (encompassing

Armidale, Guyra, Walcha and Uralla local government areas). This biogeographic

region (refer map in the Appendices) was chosen for the common ground and

connections across social, cultural, economic and ecological domains.

In short, NESS is a collaborative, open and inclusive network governance model

for creating a sustainable region. Its unique contribution to the region's shift tosustainability region is through collaborative, multi-stakeholder strategic planning,

performance and progress reporting, analysis and learning. These processes

clarify common ground and key focus areas, providing the basis for greater

collaboration, networked initiatives and distribution of responsibility across the full

diversity of the whole region, its many places, communities and stakeholders.

The meaning given to sustainability is similarly broad and inclusive ~ taking into

consideration many dimensions of our quality of life with a view to improving and

enduring for generations to come. Social, environmental, economic, global, local,cultural, Aboriginal, youth, spiritual and other dimensions have been considered.

The specific functions, or services, performed within NESS are targeted and very

few ~ being just those required to serve, facilitate and enable the network of

stakeholders, organisations and people to identify and address the key areas of

focus for the New England to become sustainable.

Implementation of the strategy, other than the specific network services

performed within NESS, remains the role of the network members. This reinforces akey principle of creating a leader-full community, central to sustainability pursuits.

NESS convenes collaborative multi-stakeholder dialogue-based processes to

facilitate sustainability strategic planning, measurement, analysis and learning. In

this way NESS enhances the capabilities and resources of existing organisations,

networks and groups to implement initiatives and achieve sustainability.


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V ISION

...the New England has become a sustainable region...

It's natural systems have been regenerated and healed so that every species has

its own world ~ frogs and birds living in harmony within a thriving City-Region in

Australia's unique high country.

Water is the sacred connector of everything ~ a power symbol of how well the

community is working together as well as being a powerful measure for their

collective performance in creating a healthy natural world and place to live with

clean economic production.

“Our region in 100 years is an interconnected community through

natural vegetation, man built, technological, cultural and

productive pathways. The region will be invigorating to visit and

will be leading by example in our land management and self

sufficiency. Our natural and community resources will be better

than ever and the journey to sustainability will be well under way.”


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Illustration 2: Vision Painting by the "Moonstone Group", Public Forum (2008)





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Illustration 3: Vision Qualities Mapping




Ethical decision-making has become the norm. There is a deep sense of trust in

the community, particularly established through this strong trait of making

decisions in ways that allow the community to reflect, consider and test newideas. The respect and listening created allows people to have their say, bringing

the community together to take ownership and responsibility for sustainability.

The region is totally renewably powered. New energy is drawn from the sun, wind

and rain, powering retrofitted homes, buildings and workplaces.

Infrastructure has been retrofitted and redesigned by becoming conscious of the

interconnections of everything. In this way it embodies the very patterns and

processes of nature that are central to sustainability.

A new regional transport system is in place that connects people and products.

“Dense mini-city populations surround by food-producing

woodlands. Every family apartment-home has a spectacular view,

nature on their balconies and close access to the surrounding

natural environment.”

The economy reflects the strong the culture of sustainability, working with naturaland human cycles, where nothing is wasted and what we have is protected.

This resourcefulness extends beyond material world and includes no wasting of

people, time, brain power or knowledge.

“I decided that when combined in the following way, they could

become a key philosophy that our community adopted in 100

years time: 'Learning, love and respect for the nature of all things'.”

This spirit of learning and patience has built a community that walks the talk on

sustainability and has become a thriving, modern city-region for generations to

come.


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Illustration 4: What will a Sustainable New England look like?




POSITIONING & UNIQUENESS

One of the distinct advantages of NESS' special development process ~

collaboratively designed by more than 1,000 stakeholders, organisations, groups

and community members ~ is that it is highly focussed to fill a complementary

and unique niche in the sustainability space for the New England.

More widely though, as has been remarked upon at various times in this Strategy,

the scale of inclusion of the breadth of stakeholders and depth of sustainability

being addressed, gives NESS an even broader uniqueness.

For example, the review of dozens of sustainability frameworks and models has

not revealed any other collaborative multi-stakeholder measurement, reporting

and evaluation process. It is noted in the Integration Model section that the State

of Environment reporting process is a fractal and working example of the same

principle ~ multiple stakeholders contributing data to a collective reporting

process ~ however the fuller scope of the Sustainability Scorecard will build on

this and incorporate important collaborative evaluation and learning processes.

The key defining elements for NESS' which highlight its uniqueness, difference andcomplementary and valuable role are:

• Highly collaborative design, development and implementation

• Whole-of-region, multi-Stakeholder, whole of issue (sustainability) approach

• Specific network services that enable greater alignment of effort and

distribution of leadership, particularly through shared planning, reporting,

evaluation and learning

• Extensive integration of

• Implementation of the Strategy is by stakeholders, not NESS

• Establishment of a New England Sustainability Foundation to the wholeNew England shift to sustainability, including NESS

• Focus on southern New England Biogeographic Region (refer to map in

Appendices)

The value and great potential of network approaches such as NESS is reflected in

the below story about the collaborative development of the Linux computer

operating system. The internet provides a rich range of similar examples, while


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creating and achieving similar results in physical communities remains a highly

aspirational pursuit and new frontier.

The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric Steven Raymond

Linux is a world-class computer operating system. Who would

have thought that it coalesce as if by magic out of part-time

programming by several thousand developers scattered all over

the planet, connected only by the tenuous strands of the Internet?

Linux overturned much of what we thought we knew about

collaboration. It was believed there was a certain criticalcomplexity above which a more centralised approach was

essential. It was believed that they needed to be built like

cathedrals, carefully crafted by individual wizards or small bands

of mages working in splendid isolation, with no beta to be

released before its time.

Linus Torvalds's style of development for Linux ~ release early and

often, delegate everything you can, be open to the point of

promiscuity ~ came as a surprise. No quiet, reverent cathedral-building here ~ rather, the Linux community seemed to resemble a

great babbling bazaar of differing agendas and approaches

(aptly symbolised by the Linux archive sites, who'd take submissions

from anyone) out of which a coherent and stable system could

seemingly emerge only by a succession of miracles.

The fact that this bazaar style seemed to work, and work well,

came as a distinct shock. It was difficult to understand how the

Linux world not only didn't fly apart in confusion but seemed to go

from strength to strength at a speed barely imaginable to

cathedral builders.


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http://catb.org/esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/

http://catb.org/esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/




PRINCIPLES

The Principles woven through NESS' structures and processes embody keyelements for the creation of a holistic and inclusive approach that enables

creative and shared leadership across the many different opportunities,

challenges and stakeholders for the New England to become sustainable.

This is reflected in the way NESS has been created, with more than 1,000 diverse

participants to date, and in the specific network functions that are necessary

while leaving the space for the network of stakeholders to make the necessary

changes for sustainability, and the implementation of NESS itself.

Principle Enactment

Whole-of-Region

Approach

• Multi-stakeholder network governance structures and

processes

• Collaborative, multi-stakeholder design and

development of NESS

• Open and inclusive processes

• Ensuring independence and autonomy of stakeholder

governance, free to decide on the nature of anyinvolvement

This design principle is especially important given then

massive scale, complexity and speed of change required.

Holistic Approach

to Sustainability

• Open consideration of all relevant factors to the

sustainability of the New England region ~ social,

environmental and economic; to local, national and

global; current, past and future

• Collaborative Sustainability Scorecard to measure and

assess progress and performance across the whole issue

with input by multiple stakeholders


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Principle Enactment

Integration • Integration of wider evidence base with stakeholder

strategies and priorities into NESS• Integration Model to integrate and align implementation

of NESS with stakeholder plans

• Sustainability Scorecard as a collaborative, multi-

stakeholder measurement, reporting and evaluation

process

Leader-full

Community with

DistributedLeadership &

• NESS implementation responsibility of stakeholders,

particularly supported by Integration Model and

Sustainability Charter • NESS Network Functions specifically designed to provide

the environment for shared understanding and

collaboration

Accountability • Governance by NESSiE and Advisory Council

• Open access through the web portal to all relevant

information about NESS' development, functions,

governance and finances.


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SEVEN KEY FOCUS AREAS

Seven Key Focus Areas are central to the New England's shift to sustainability ~

the business of biodiversity, new energy, a diversified and innovative economy,

culture creatives, social inclusion and wellbeing, youth leading and continuing to

explore wild ideas that may bloom.

These areas reflect common themes that emerged through the various streams

of work for NESS and nearly two dozen other major strategic plans relevant to the

Region. The mapping on the following page identifies the clusters of initiatives ~

aspirational, active and planned ~ to highlight priority areas for investment andcollaboration.

Full details for each Key Focus Area are provided in a separate report.

Additionally, there are five local SEED (Social Environmental & Economic

Development) Plans separately available which describe the particular

sustainability priorities for each of local communities of Guyra, Bundarra, Walcha,

Uralla and Armidale.

Successful sustainability initiatives will reflect 'sweet spots' that integrate and

deliver outcomes across multiple key focus areas, with the ultimate goal being to

address all areas simultaneously, the elusive essence of sustainability.

To be clear ~ thriving, creative cultural initiatives will ultimately only be sustainable

if they also are inclusive, enhance wellbeing, utilise new energy, diversity the

economy and regenerate biodiversity. This is a very high bar, though it is an

intergenerational journey being navigated. In the immediate term a more realistic

goal would be at least to maintain and not further degrade the other key focusareas.

So too the regeneration of biodiversity will only be sustainable to the degree it

enhances social inclusive, wellbeing, a diversified economic base and so on.

The complexity is obvious... and bristling with creative opportunity.


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Illustration 5: Key Focus Areas & Clusters of Strategic Initiatives




Significant synergies exist across different clusters of initiatives within the key focus

areas. For example, Social Inclusion and Wellbeing includes opportunities for

exporting professional health services ~ mainstream and complementary ~ andclear scope for Enterprising Economy outcomes. Further, there is clear recongition

of the positive wellbeing opportunities through outdoor recreating, retreats and

education which align well with the High Country Regeneration.

The various NESS network services, forums, workshops and communication will

perform a useful function in enhancing the integration, collaboration and

prioritisation of resources to these 'sweet spots of sustainability'.

Measurement of current sustainability, performance and progress over time, is apriority for the next stage of work. A framework of indicators has been established

~ the Sustainability Speedo & Scorecard ~ and relevant indicators are included

with each Key Focus Area. Collection, aggregation and analysis of this data is

required, and is linked with the agreements of various stakeholders ~ through the

Sustainability Charter and Integration Model ~ to contribute information to this

collective whole of region reporting and performance assessment model.

Finally, the priority next steps for each Key Focus Area are detailed in the

Implementation section, referred to as NESS3.


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NETWORK GOVERNANCE

From the very beginnings of the development of NESS in mid 2008 a view was

repeatedly expressed, through forums, workshops and discussions, that NESS

should be a network not an organisation. And so work began on researching and

designing a network governance structure rather than a incorporating a

particular form of community legal entity.

The experience from other network governance models aligns with concerns and

reasons expressed by stakeholders ~ that traditional incorporation would

influence power dynamics with the network, and the creation of an entity couldcreate the need for greater resources and the perception of competition with

stakeholders.

Network governance is a relatively new concept, though there are several useful

working models which provide frameworks for reference. Of all the network

governance models identified and researched, the most similar and sophisticated

was the Constellation Collaboration, developed by Tonya Surman from the

Centre for Social Innovation.

Fortuitously, two such network governance models are in operation nearby ~

Sustain Northern Rivers climate change collaboration and the Waterfall Way

EcoTourism Initiative ~ which provides useful possibilities for governance learning

and skill sharing.

The strategy behind choosing a network governance model is especially to

create an environment where leadership for sustainability is taken, exercised and

shared. In this way NESS complements the work of existing stakeholders,

enhancing their sustainability, rather than being a source of 'competition' so tospeak.

Implementation of the New England Sustainability Strategy is the responsibility of

the various stakeholders, organisations, government bodies, businesses and

community.

Importantly, this approach is also consistent with, and does not compromise,


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http://socialinnovation.ca/constellationmodel

http://socialinnovation.ca/constellationmodel




existing stakeholder governance arrangements and autonomy ~ by providing

options and opportunities, rather than obligations or constrictions, to further the

sustainability of the New England.

Stakeholders will of course be supported, given a healthy challenge even, to

integrate with, and implement, NESS. However formal responsibility and decision

making remains in the domain of their own governance structures and processes.

This principle is central to the Integration Model and Sustainability Charter.

The specific NESS functions, defined in the Super Structure, have been

determined to be what was is most useful and required to provide a hub for this

multi-stakeholder network approach.

A useful metaphor to visualise this model is to think of the transition to

sustainability as a wheel made up of many spokes, or stakeholders. The purpose

of NESS is to enhance the alignment, integration, capabilities and resources for

the whole wheel and all the spokes and in so doing leverage greater shift to

sustainability.

The wheel is a mechanism for the numerous stakeholders in sustainability to come

together to identify shared priorities, strategies and initiatives, with NESS being a'hub' for collaborative planning, measurement, learning and initiatives for

sustainability.

A key benefit of this approach is that the success of NESS is interdependent with

the success of stakeholders. Conversely, there is of course also a risk that

implementation will be compromised because it is beyond the responsibility of

NESS. Both the Sustainability Charter and Integration Model play a key role in

minimising this risk.

Full details of the NESS Network Governance Structure, and summaries of other

similar models, is detailed in a separate document. An indicative implementation

budget is included in the Appendices.


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S TRUCTURE

The “ConstellationCollaboration” model of

network governance

illustrated on the right

aligns with the NESS

Super Structure.

To translate, from bottom

to top:

• Agreements ~ the

New England

Sustainability

Strategy and

Sustainability

Charter particularly

define the vision,

priorities,

relationships,

responsibilities,

structures and

processes

• Stewardship Group

~ NESSiE, the New

England

Sustainability

Strategy Executive,

supported by aSecretariat (currently Starfish Enterprises)

• Constellations & Lead ~ the seven Key Focus Areas which also define the

expertise required for NESSiE, and that the Lead person/organisation for

each key focus area is in turn relevant expert on NESSiE. This is not

compulsory of course as such leadership is free to emerge from anywhere

within the network

• Magnetic Attractor ~ the common and shared purpose for the network,

that is sustainability for NESS


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Illustration 6: "Constellation Collaboration" ~ Network Governance

Model




F INANCIAL & L EGAL M ATTERS

The NESS network governance structure is unincorporated, though all the work to

date has been auspiced by Starfish Enterprises, a tax exempt community

organisation.

In due course the New England Sustainability Foundation will be formed and will

secede Starfish as the legal entity for handling finances and holding the assets, or

community capital, in trust (NESS brand, intellectual property, website, cash,

investments, etc).

An indicative budget ~ Core Resourcing Model ~ is detailed separately, witharound $60,000 per year required to deliver the core services to the New

England sustainability network (as detailed in the Super Structure ~ public forum,

scorecard, web portal, etc) and governance oversight by NESSiE.

Once-only upfront investments are required to complete the Sustainability

Charter and establish the new website portal.


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R OLES & R ESPONSIBILITIES

NESSiE

• Leadership

• Convenor for Public Forum,

Scorecard Round Table, Advisory

Council

• Trustees for NESS Branding &

Foundation

• NESS Resourcing & Budget, including

remuneration for NESSiE & Secretariat• NESSiE Search & Selection

• Membership capability based for

sustainability, key focus areas,

network facilitation and governance

(not representative-based)

Advisory Council

• NESSiE Appointment

• NESSiE Performance Review &

Evaluation

• Sustainability Charter

• Score Card Round Table

Charter Partners

• Strategic Initiatives & Implementation

• Integration with NESS & ScorecardData/Reporting

• Involvement in Public Forum &

Advisory Council

• NESS Branding ($1% for Sustainability)

Secretariat

• Executive support for NESSiE and

Day to Day coordination and

administration of NESS

• Web Portal, Communication &

Engagement

Auspice (Starfish Enterprises)

• Handling finances

• Holding assets in trust (NESS brand,

intellectual property, website, cash,

investments, etc).

New England Sustainability Foundation

• Handling finances

• Holding assets in trust (NESS brand, intellectual property, website, cash,

investments, etc).

• Trustees need to include 2 'responsible persons' for tax deductive gift

recipient status (if not satisfied by NESSiE membership)


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IMPLEMENTATION


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Illustration 7: Implementation Model




S USTAINABILITY C HARTER

The purpose of the Sustainability Charter is to form an agreement betweenstakeholders and NESS network that defines an integrated, inclusive and

collaborative approach to sharing leadership and responsibility for the

sustainability of the New England Region.

It provides an innovative opportunity to join a network of peers working to

enhance the sustainability of their organisation and the wider region.

The Charter defines the scope for participation in the ongoing development,

implementation and usage of the New England Sustainability Strategy, including

the “N” Brand.

NESS has already provided a basis for innovative collaborations, cross-fertilisation

of ideas and the promotion of successful case studies and models.

In addition to strategic initiatives to implement NESS, participation would include

involvement in the Advisory Council, Scorecard Round Table, Public Forum and

other NESS initiatives.

Signatories to the Charter will take significant roles in NESS' implementation,

governance and resourcing.

Research of three similar agreements are detailed separately for consideration as

part of the finalisation of the Charter during NESS3.


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I NTEGRATION M ODEL

The governance structure of NESS is built upon the principle that itsimplementation is the responsibility of the various and numerous stakeholders in

the New England Region.

This in turn means that the integration of NESS into stakeholder strategic plans,

work and reporting is central to, and inseparable from, the implementation of

NESS itself.

As part of NESS2 the four Local Government Authorities (Armidale Dumaresq,

Walcha, Uralla and Guyra) worked with NESSiE to develop an Integration Model

to fulfil this purpose: the development of a replicable model to integrate NESS,

and other similar plans such as the Local Adaptations Pathways Project, with

local government planning, management and reporting systems.

While the Integration Model was developed with the Councils and reflects their

leadership on sustainability it was designed with a view to being adapted and

implemented more widely by other stakeholders too.

In this way the Integrated Model seeks to enhance collaboration across the

diverse regional network of stakeholders and initiatives in sustainability.

The Model is also intended to address the widely identified risk that strategic

plans, like NESS, are created and 'sit on a shelf' and 'don't get implemented'.

Local Government are far from alone in struggling with this issue. The very nature

of sustainability as a multi-stakeholder issue further heightens this particular risk.

A useful metaphor to visualise the Integration Model is to refer again to thegovernance structure described earlier, and the sustainability wheel, spokes and

hub.

By imagining the transition to sustainability as a wheel made up of many spokes,

or stakeholders, with the various NESS processes and structure as a hub to help

align spokes and facilitate planning and collaboration to make a wheel that rolls

in the right direction towards sustainability!


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In this metaphor the work Council, or any stakeholder, does comprises some, but

not all, the spokes of the wheel.

NESS is issue and region centric ~ being about sustainability for the New England.

This is a unique and complimentary approach with the more common

approaches to sustainability which are 'spoke' centric. That is, more commonly

sustainability is considered more narrowly to the specific interests and

responsibilities of government, one layer of government, or one department of

government only.

To achieve this the process of integration, and this Integration Model, is iterative

and interactive with other stakeholders, planning processes and the externalcontext.

For example, a specific stream of the NESS development was integrating

relevant aspects of other existing stakeholder strategic plans as well. In this way

NESS is neither top down or bottom up, rather it is about integration and

interaction of the across the various stakeholders, or spokes, of endeavour

relevant to the shift to sustainability for the New England Region.

From a process point of view the integration of NESS is built upon collaboration,participation and transparency where stakeholders, including Local Councils:

1. include external stakeholders in their strategic planning as well as analyse

external sustainability plans, including NESS, to identify and integrate

aspects which are relevant to their role, responsibilities and priorities;

2. contribute data and reports to the New England Sustainability Scorecard to

enable a consolidated, region-wide set of indicators on sustainability

progress and performance; and,

3. communicate to reach key audiences.


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C OMMUNICATION

A Communication Strategy wasdeveloped in collaboration with the

High Country Urban Biodiversity

Project (HiCUB), providing an ideal

opportunity to leverage synergy with

HiCUB being a large scale 'High

Country Regeneration' initiative.

This is detailed in full in a separate

document.

While HiCUB is a current initiative

largely focused on the urban

environments of Walcha, Uralla,

Armidale and Guyra – NESS works on

the key focus area of 'High Country

Regeneration', across the whole of

the New England in both urban and

rural settings. 'High Country

Regeneration' also aims to clearly

communicate the continuum of work

over generations, such as Nova Anglica, Treefest and the Decade of Landcare.

The key messages themes identified are:

• Governance and Strategic Planning ~ an integrated approach bringing

together community, business and government;

•

Change ~ the shift to sustainability is an urgent opportunity and necessity;• Network functions, or initiatives ~ including the Public Forum, Sustainability

Foundation, Integration Model, Scorecard Round Table, etc.; and,

• Achievements ~ both the wider network and NESS.

And message objectives being:

• To engage and mobilise;

• Change awareness and understanding; and,

• Improve sustainability practice.


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Illustration 8: Media Coverage, Tex Skuthorpe, Vision

Painting Co-Facilitator, 2008 Public Forum




WWW .NEWENGLANDSUSTAINABILITY .ORG .AU

The website purpose is to provide an information gateway or portal for

sustainability in the New England Region and build a knowledge commons ~ that

harnesses common goals, knowledge and practice. This will replace the existing

website, nicknamed dotNESS, which has been used throughout the development

of NESS since 2008.

The website design reflects the principle that implementation of NESS is by the

stakeholder network. In this way it works as a portal which directly links to the

critical sustainability related parts of stakeholders’ websites. Reciprocal links will

provide a visibility to the wider network of leadership, and the portal.

The website works to promote, inform, enhance and support stakeholders various

sustainability initiatives. This structure also reflects a significant change in the web

presence of stakeholders since work on NESS began in 2008. Today there are

dozens more websites and existing websites with dedicated sustainability

initiatives or services, underlining the value of the NESS common portal or

directory for the wider community and network to use.

The other purpose for the website is to build a digital knowledge commons andlibrary for sustainability, including promotion of NESS' network functions and

transparency regarding NESS' development and governance.

The design for the website portal was developed in collaboration with key

stakeholders and is detailed in full in a separate document. This defines the initial

and foundation level of development. Any further development of the site

functionality requires further research, with both stakeholders and users, to identify

additional or different needs, plus analysis of historic site usage and traffic flows.


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http://www.newenglandsustainability.org.au/












SUSTAINABILITY SPEEDO & SCORECARD

At the inaugural NESS Sustainability Scorecard Round Table a wide range of

stakeholders measured the sustainability of the New England for the first time ~

the current sustainability, changes since 2008 when work on NESS began and the

key influences on those changes.

Their conclusion was

that right now we are

some way off being

sustainable ~ with theSustainability Speedo

(depicted right) showing

an average negative 47

score reflecting that our

social, environmental

and economic capital is

being degraded right

now.

At the same time however the consensus was that the sustainability of the New

England Region has 'marginally improved' in the last two years ~ a positive

change of 7 points on average. This is a promising conclusion.

The key influences on these changes were built into the foundation Sustainability

Scorecard to measure the New England's sustainability progress and

performance. These indicators are described in the detailed Key Focus Areas

document, with a summary on the following page.

While there are other regional sustainability indicators being developed, notably

in the UK and Canada, these are mostly top down, expert designed and

managed frameworks.

There is as yet no regional sustainability framework or shared site in place to

record or measure our communities, agencies, agencies, landholder and industry

successes and progress towards a sustainable region.


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Illustration 9: New England Sustainability Speedo, 2008 ~ 2010





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Illustration 10: New England Sustainability Scorecard (Progress & Performance Measurement Framework)




PRECAUTIONS

Risk Mitigation

Reliance on

Stakeholders for

Implementation &

Regional Alignment

• Letters of Support being sought for ongoing involvement

• Sustainability Charter & Integration Model especially

designed to provide a mechanism for implementation

• Stakeholders have collaboratively developed NESS & this

implementation structure reflects their views

NESS is aligned with SNELC, HiCUB, ADCC, New England

Weeds Authority, The Community of Schools and the four

Local Councils previously within NESAC, however is a sub-

region of the NSW and Australian Government regions

(New England, North West and Northern Inland).

Insufficient Funding

for Implementation

& Transition from

NESS2 to NESS3

• Letters of Support being sought for financial & in-kind

support

• There is scope to progress aspects of NESS, particularly

the Sustainability Charter, Website Portal and the

Integration Model with Councils, as once-only initiativesusing project or fee-for-service income. This approach

reduces the amount of funding required up front.

• The Core Resources Model outlines a diverse revenue

model for NESS which has the potential to reduce risk

Holistic, broad focus

on whole of

sustainability &

whole of region

• NESS network governance model is designed to

facilitate collaboration across the diversity of

stakeholders for sustainability through the annual Public

Forum and Stakeholder Round Table (Scorecard &

Speedo) and to align their collective leadership and

initiative through mechanisms such as the Sustainability

Charter & Integration Model

• NESSiE membership reflects professional expertise across

the seven key focus areas


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NEW ENGLAND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY3

After 2½ years of development, NESS now moves into an implementation phase,

though some elements of the Strategy require further refinement, proving and

completion (such as the Sustainability Scorecard and Charter).

The 2010 NESS Public Forum identified the priority next steps, which are mapped

below in two sections: priorities for the seven key focus areas; and priorities for the

network governance.

As already detailed in the Governance section, this next phase of endeavour isof course linked with the need to secure sufficient resources. The Core Model

provides a basis for the ongoing implementation of NESS, while specific

developmental budgets are required for once-only initiatives (such as piloting the

Sustainability Scorecard and establishment of the web portal), as will specific

resources be required for any extensions of work (such the formation of network

teams to establish work plans for the key focus areas, with biodiversity, energy

and YOUNG particularly standing as as ready for this next phase of capacity☺

building).

Finalisation of the Sustainability Charter is an especially critical next step as it is

directly linked with the implementation and integration of NESS as well as the

income budget.

The Integration Model, developed with the four Local Councils, is now ready for

their consideration and implementation. Possible workshops to implement the

LGA Integration Model with one or two Councils or other stakeholders.

Accomplish this could benefit from a three-step process:

1. Workshop to understand NESS and identify priorities for integration;2. Collaborative NESS/Council analysis of NESS and their business plans to

map the matrix of roles with possible initiatives (an example is provided in

the Appendices); and,

3. Report and Recommendations for Council consideration and agreement,

then integrated into business plans.


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P RIORITY N EXT S TEPS ~ K EY F OCUS AREAS


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Illustration 11: Next Steps ~ Seven Key Focus Areas




P RIORITY N EXT S TEPS ~ G OVERNANCE


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Illustration 12: Next Steps ~ Network Governance Structures




In addition to the above priorities for Governance, and based upon analysis of

the Model Rules for NSW Associations and Co-Operatives, the following areas will

require policy to be developed for the NESS governance structure, in addition tothose described earlier under Roles and Responsibilities:

• Meetings, Decision-making & Conflict of Interest;

• Financial & Risk Management;

• Complaints & Disputes; and,

• Wind-Up.


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ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

The Final Strategy is to be read in conjunction with following separate documents

which provide additional detail:

• Appendices

• Key Focus Areas & Initiatives Matrix

• Network Governance, Integration Model, Sustainability Charter & Core

Resourcing Model

• Sustainability Scorecard & Speedo

• Communication Strategy & Website Portal

•

SEED Plans (Social, Environmental & Economic Development)• Key Themes & Priorities

• Uralla, Bundarra, Walcha, Guyra & Armidale

• Foundation Strategy (2008)

new england sustainability strategy

Documents