Services

Paul Foreman

Paul Foreman is a highly regarded and skilled field botanist and ecologist with over 23 years of experience in land management and nature conservation across a range of sectors and in a range of technical, strategic and management roles throughout Victoria and many other parts of Australia. Paul has an undergraduate degree in Forestry from the University of Melbourne and completed a Botany Masters of Science in Northern Plains Grassland ecology at La Trobe University in 1996.

Landscape scale conservation planning and land assessment

Organisations are often in need of broad scale assessment, analysis or planning to help develop strategic conservation plans and programs for the local landscape, bioregion, state or even national context. Clients are particularly in need of advice on the general approach, sources of data, process for stakeholder input and the structure and presentation of reports. Such plans are critical for ‘selling’ the group’s message to the broader community, obtaining vital funding and acting as a kind of ‘road map’ for getting on with the job. Typically the plans cover: focal values and the overall vision, along with the strategies required to get there, and the kinds of things you’d measure in order to track progress and confirm goals are reached. As with any plans, it is critical to find the right balance between providing a clear, realistic focus for the group over the long term and being flexible enough to adapt as new information comes to light and organisational objectives shift. If you don’t get this balance right, there is a real risk that little will get done or nothing much will be achieved, because the strategies implemented aren’t effective in achieving your goals.

Paul has a wide ranging experience with strategic planning and assessment: from helping Bush Heritage better target high conservation properties for establishing new private conservation reserves; to leading the development of a strategy to conserve and protect Northern Plains Grasslands; and assisting a central Victorian Conservation Management Network develop strategies for their regional vision to conserve grassy woodlands.

Services include: advising on appropriate strategic planning and assessment options and tools; sourcing key technical information including spatial data; recommending best processes for ensuring strong stakeholder input and ownership; suggestions on report structure and presentation; and advising on long term management systems and capacity building to maximise longevity and success.