Australian Landscape Management has launched a new tool to develop better policy frameworks to guide the use of open space resources.

Clear policy will help you to:

• Understand community values for open space
• Resolve tradeoffs between competing interests
• Guide the use of resources to optimise benefits
• Set in place processes for the ongoing interplay of values, interests and resources
• Ensure the whole team understands the policy process, current priorities and is working towards common goals

Have you ever been asked ....

Why do you plant species that are not native to Australia?

 

Why is that reserve maintained to a higher standard?

 

Why do you plant trees in that street and not mine?

How often do you prune those trees from the powerlines?

 

What is the process to get my reserve improved?

 

How often, and when, do we cut the grass at Football Park?

 

What is the basis for when you decide to remove street trees?

 

When will my playground be upgraded?

Effective policy provides ways to access community values, deal with competing interests and optinmise resource use.

Good policy reflects community values, addresses all the various interests and issues, and guides resource allocation decisions.

Other benefits include ...

Risk management

• Transparent service planning and delivery processes
• Identification of standards that asset will be maintained
• Identification of service failure thresholds for contingency planning

Customer services

• Provides a basis for why decisions are made that can be communicated to customers
• Documented and communicated work standards
• Known and documented intervention levels

Asset maintenance

• Provides clear standards to guide maintenance planning
• Provides a basis for reporting on past and future maintenance works

Resource management

• Allows resource planning and budget justification
• Logical and efficient work plans
• Optimal utilisation of resources

A clear policy framework provides an accessible and common basis for work plan
, reporting on work performance and ensuring optimal use of available resources.

Australian Landscape Management develops policy in a logical clear and transparent manner. The process is ideal for community, and stakeholder involvement and ownership.

Good policy has the following elements:

Objectives

Clear objectives which provide long term direction within organisation framework are required. The objectives need to be SMART

• S - Specific
• M - Measurable
• A - Achievable
• R - Realistic
• T - Time bounded

Principles

The objectives need supporting principles to help guide the deployment of resources to achieve longer term objectives. This can sometimes be replaced with criteria.

Criteria

Criteria can be provide to guide the selection of sites, the classification between sites, selection of species, and the basis of actions (such as removals.

Supporting discussion

As many landscape issues are complex, they often need to be supported by a discussion document which explains the basis for Objectives/ Principles/ Criteria in the context of organisational priorities.

Make sure you can answer the hard questions next time they are asked by your manager or Council.

Service pricing

Services can be quoted on a fixed price or fee for service basis.

Additional services include...

Operations Management

Forecast demand for services and plan capacity accordingly. Optimise resource use using appropriate maintenance strategies and types.

Parks Maintenance Management System© (PMMS)

A fully integrated maintenance management system based on MS Access. Program work, incorporate audits, record completed work, report on all activities.

SHARP Maintenance ©

Focus on key aspects of maintenance to manage risk, present landscapes attractively for use, provide customer service and integrate with PMMS©.

Life Cycle Management Plans

Evaluate construction, maintenance, re-capitalisation, and replacement costs and their optimal timing.

Risk Assessment & Control Plans

Profile risks in open space areas, select appropriate controls and integrate them with maintenance programs.

Development Consulting

Design

We help to carefully develop landscapes to achieve triple bottom line outcomes.

Construction

Proven project management systems ensure completion on time, within budget and to the agreed quality.

Design & Construction

Reduce construction time and integrate design and construction risk .

For more information contact: Nick Graesser.