Here are some ideas about ways we could extend the website, including a grey literature database, Council environmental performance blogs, standards for management plans etc.
Grey literature database
Grey literature is a term describing materials not identifiable through a traditional index or database. This includes clippings, reports, newsletters, etc. Much of the work that is done on indigenous flora and fauna is published in very limited print runs, and supplied to a client, who may or may not make it available publicly. If the client does make it available publicly on a website, it may be available only for a relatively short time. This makes locating relevant earlier reports quite difficult, especially when staff turnover at the client means that no-one knows about anything that happened more than a few years ago.
IFFA could set up a database on its website allowing for members to search the database by keyword for relevant reports, add new titles to the database, add reviews of the documents, links to them where they are published online, etc. With permission from the authors some documents might be made available on the website where they were not available elsewhere.
Council by Council environmental performance blogs
Not happy with the performance of your Council? Alternately they might have done something really good that other Councils could emulate. IFFA could set up a number of blogs (perhaps one for each Council) where members could record the good and the bad for others to see and comment on and add their own experiences.
Workspace for development of a Victorian standard for management plans, flora surveys, etc
Frustrated because the report you struggled to get that developer to do isn't up to scratch? But there's no standard to match it up against. IFFA could create a workspace where members could build a standard for such documents. Your criticisms would have more power then.
Consultants could use the standards to demonstrate they have done the appropriate amount of work, and avoid the problem of poorly defined expectations.
Moderators
These ideas will only work if there is someone interested enough in them to become a "moderator" for that section of the website. Moderators screen material for relevance, adding their expertise when appropriate, and should aim to generate interest and participation in that section of the site. If you're interested please contact me.
Training for use of website
I am still aiming to organise a training session in how to use IFFA's website and add material. Initially the training will be for Committee members, but others interested should get in touch.
Website virtual workshop
Following the training I plan to organise virtual planting days - where we all don't get together but work together on adding ("planting") material on the website. I'd set up a help line for anyone who was having problems.
If you're interested in any of these ideas, please give me a call on (03) 93860264, or email me at editor@iffa.org.au
- Tony Faithfull