There is a rich and extensive history of research into factors that encourage farmers to change their land management practices, or inhibit them from doing so. Yet this research is often under-utilised in practice. Changing Land Management provides key insights from past and cutting-edge research to support decision-makers as they attempt to influence or assist rural communities adapting to changed circumstances, such as new technologies, new environmental imperatives, new market opportunities or changed climate. Understanding the process of practice change by rural landholders is crucial for policy makers, agricultural researchers, extension agents, natural resource management bodies, non-government organisations and agricultural consultants. For example, such understanding can assist with the design and implementation of environmental programs, with the prioritisation of agricultural research and with commercial ventures. Common themes are the need for an appreciation of the diversity of land managers and their contexts, of the diversity of factors that influence land-management decisions, and of the challenges that face government programs that are intended to change land management.

This report explores how countries can strengthen the resilience of their agricultural sectors to multiple risks. A shifting risk landscape in agriculture – due to increasing weather variability, natural hazards, pests and diseases, and market shocks – will require public and private actors to consider the risk landscape over the long term, place a greater emphasis on what can be done ex ante to reduce risk exposure and increase preparedness, and prioritise investments that build resilience capacities both on-farm and for the sector as a whole.

This book explores the complicated interrelationships between freshwater resources and tourism and recreation. The focus is on Australia, but comparisons with the experience of other countries are also made throughout. Yet Australia has been at the forefront of conflicts over drought and water use, particularly for irrigated agriculture, as well as of the design of policies and institutions for water policy, so there are many lessons which can be applied to other parts of the world. The authors examine in detail the relationships between water economics and supply, and the needs for tourism and recreation. The book discusses water use and access and the conflict between urban and recreational demands. It considers the institutional arrangements around water and the significance of property rights, including water markets and water pricing. Theoretical and practical models for increasing collaboration and cooperation such as the use of trusts are also developed and water trusts in the USA are examined. Specific chapters highlight the role of interest groups, such as the boating industry, to influence policy thinking and the practical trade-offs between access to urban water supplies and the requirements of recreation. Tourist behavior in relation to water use and pricing is also assessed.