Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Methods and Processes Summary
Methods and Processes Summary
natural environments, eg as a resourse (logging) verses for recreation (bushwalking).
2.interest groups: are organised groups of people witha shared opion about a particular environmental issue.
Thye aim to promote their views and values to influence decisions and awareness within the community.
3.methods: are ways of influencing change over the use of natural environments. The methods are designed
to influence revevant decision makers and raise comminuty awareness and support.
4.direct action: involves activities such as marching, blockades, protests and boycotts
5.advantages: gains free media attention. Brings issue to the public eye. shows level of support in
community
6.disadvantages: not suitable for small groups as they have little impact. May alienate other groups within
the community if disruption is caused. Requires significant preparation and organisation
7.lobbying: occurs through direct contact and meetings with decision makers or representatives
8.advantages: can be conducted directly by interest group. Ensures decisionmakers have a clear
understanding of the groups position
9.disadvantages: can be difficult to acess decisionmakers, and time consuming
10.petitions and letters: sent to decisionmakers, newspapers or politicians
11.advantages: hand written letters show a high level of commitment and politicians often count these to
gauge the level of support and concern in regard to an issue. Letters to newspapers may be published and
inform more people about an issue. Can be useful way to gain media attention about small issues, espicially
in community based newspapers. petitions are easy to conduct and gather a large number of signatures and
supporters
12.disadvantages: preprinted letters, postcards and petitions have less impact as they require minimal
effort and petitions are relatively easy to get signed
13.use of media: undertaken through interviews in newspapers, radio, or on TV, or via paid advertising
features. May take the form of media 'stunts' aimed at generating public support and awareness through
strong media images
14.advantages: opportunity to get clear message and information to a large number of people. Stunts
provide strong images and show the public a high level of commitment and the percieved seriousness of the
conflict/issue
15.disadvantages: advertising is expensive and only available to large interest groups. media stunts require
significant organisation and planning, can be potentially dangerous and may cause alienation from the issue
for some in the community because of disruption or danger assocaited with them.
16.forming partnerships: between groups seeking the same or similar outcomes for the use of an area.
17.advantages: provides greater numbers to support position on an issue and more resources to utilise in
influencing decision making. Can increase peerceived credibility if a diverse range of groups are involved.
18.disadvantages: A compromise on an issue may need to occur, to ensure wider support. A number of
groups with different agendas can be difficult to coordinate
19.Gathering own evidence/presenting reports: scientific or social reports are collated in an effort to
provide evidence for anj interest group's position on an issue.
20.advantages: Give credibility to the interest group's position. Allows for evidencebased claims to be
made, and arguments for position can be clearly understood.
21.disadvantges: Can be timecomsuming and expensive. The evidence gathered is often selected to
support one groups viewand opposing groups may also be able to gather selective evidence to support their
position
22.use of prominent people: Groups seek support from people well known in the community
23.advantages: can provide increased credibility for an interest group and its position. Media attention is
more likely to be given to causes that have prominent people involved
24.disadvantages: the prominent person my have little understanding of the issue
25.infotmation evenings/meetings: used as a means of engaging and informing the wider community
26.advantages: Demonstrates level of support for an issue within the community. Provides the opportunity
for members of the wider community to become better informed about an issue
27.disadvantages: often poorly attended and time comsuming to organise
28.social media: used as means of engaging and informing people of objectives and key values of the
interest group.
29.advantages: provides the opportunity for people of the wider community to become better informed
about an issue and show their support through becoming a member of a particular interest groups
30.disadvantages: not everyone is able to acess the internet
31.politcal pressure: when a decisionmaking process lies in the hands of politicians, the aim of interest
groups is to apply as much pressure as possible on local politicians. Politicians want to get reelected or
elected and are more likely to support issues that have popular support, and gains them votes.
32.local conflicts: when smaller, more locally based conflicts occur over the use of the N.E there is a
smaller range of methods at an interest groups's disposal. This is due smaller number and subsequent lack
of resources available to them
33.processes: are systematic actions used by decision makers to try to reslove conflicting interests over the
use of the natural environments.
34.foremation of a consultative group: decision makers create consultative groups to gather information
and data about an issue and provide recommendations about the use of a N.E
35.advantages: all views can be heard and promotes possibility for compromise between interest groups to
produce a win/win outcome
36.disadvantages: may take a significant amount of time and result in no agreement
37.legislation: can be enacted by any level of govenment. The purpose is to allow an activity to occur or to
prevent or prohibit an activity
38.advantage: the decision may come quickly and be very clear
39.disadvantage: produces a win/lose resolution
40.management plans: determined, written and applied by an statutory authority, such as Parks Victoria
41.advantage: experts determine the uses of the natural environment
42.disadvantage: may restrict activities which have economic or social benefits. May take an extended
period od time to develop
43.use of the court system: used when existing laws that relate to a conflict are unclear or to stop activity
until clarification and interpretation of the current law.
44.advantage: results in a clear decision being made
45.disadvantage: can take an extremely long time and become expensive. Creates a win/lose situation
46.police action: interest groups may decide to undertake actions such as a blockade; therefore police may
be forced to take action to enforce existing laws
47.advantage: ensures previously established laws are being enforced
48.disadvantage: requires significant preparation and organisation, very time consuming, may be very
costly. Possible negative attention if physical confrontation occurs
49.processes followed in decision making: when a conflict ocurrs over the use of natural environment,
interest groups and decision makers may become involved in a process to resolve the situation.