Arid lands, arid, management: community engagement, communities of practice and environmental governance in Lake Eyre-Kati Thanda

Abstract

Management of arid lands in South Australia is an important yet often contentious topic amongst the multiple stakeholders that live within it. The interplay between land management and people is intertwined, with people being affected by and influencing its outcomes. Ensuring effective community engagement is fundamental to ensuring the success of environmental management endeavours. This paper explores the institutional, policy and community engagement structures in place within one particular arid region of South Australia - Lake Eyre - and its implications for environmental governance. It concludes with a suggestion that utilising the notion of communities of practice within the region is one way forward for future community engagement.