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Participatory modeling is increasingly recognized as an effective way to assist collective decision-making processes in the domain of natural resource management. This article introduces a framework for evaluating projects that have adopted a participatory modeling approach. This evaluation framework--known as the "Protocol of Canberra"--was developed through a collaboration between French and Australian researchers engaged in participatory modeling and evaluation research. The framework seeks to assess the extent to which different participatory modeling initiatives not only modify perceptions among and interactions between participants, but also contribute to collective decision-making. The article discusses the development of the framework and its application to three case-studies, two from Australia and one from the Pacific Island of the Republic of Kiribati. The article concludes with some comments for future use of the framework in a range of participatory modeling contexts.

Research examining change has focused primarily on the process in individuals, and community-level models of change and response virtually have been ignored. We would argue that change can be conceptualized in terms of the stress process, and thus we draw on psychological theories of stress and coping to provide the basis from which to examine the process of change within a community.

Rural women face a variety of health-related problems, some of which they share with their city sisters. However, the multiple responsibilities of women on the land, and their geographical isolation and lack of support, can lead to physical decline and increased mental strain. It is these factors which are often overlooked in the planning and allocation of funding and services to rural areas. This paper examines the application of community competence and empowerment measures in developing and implementing health services for women in rural Australian communities. A study conducted in the south-west region of Western Australia illustrates the ability of women within rural communities to identify and respond constructively to health issues of concern.

The concept of 'best management practice' (BMP) has become popular in the context of natural resource management in Australia and is a core principle of the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. However, despite the emergence of this concept, it seems to have been mostly overlooked for critical assessment by geographers and social scientists. This paper presents an overview of the BMP concept and its use in natural resource management, identifying two distinct types of BMP, one associated with regulation and one focused on innovation. The paper presents findings from focus groups with farmers and scientists seeking to implement BMP to manage dryland salinity in the Western Australian wheatbelt. The focus of the paper concerns defining what is meant by BMP for managing dryland salinity, and drawing attention to complications with the BMP concept as it is used in Australia to address salinity. In particular, the paper discusses the contested nature of defining BMP against a background of imperfect knowledge. As a complex environmental problem, a prescriptive approach to BMP for the management of dryland salinity is problematic. However, the concept has some merit when conceptualised as a process of continual improvement and learning.

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