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Description of INFFER |
Contact us |
INFFER is a
tool for developing and prioritising projects to address environmental issues
such as water quality, biodiversity, environmental pests
and land degradation. It aims to achieve the most
valuable environmental outcomes with the available resources.
New to INFFER? Read this first
here
Introductory overview of INFFER
here
Graphical overview of the process (steps 1-4)
here
Frequently Asked Questions
here
Common misconceptions about INFFER
here
Journal article describing INFFER:
here
Other publications from the project
here
Users of INFFER
here
Policy engagement here
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News: INFFER has
won a number of awards during 2009.
Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research.
UWA media release
Future Farming Systems Research Science Award of the
Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, to Anna Roberts, Jenny
Alexander and April Curatolo.
AARES award for "Quality
of Research Discovery" to Dave Pannell for Public: Private Benefits Framework, a component
of INFFER
Victorian Landcare Award to Geoff Park, for
various contributions, including his role in INFFER. Photo |
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Implementing INFFER (version 18) |
Changes since version 17 |
Introductory overview of the
INFFER process:
html (24K)
Step 1. Identifying significant
assets:
doc (2591K)
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pdf (1417K)
Step 2. Filtering significant
assets:
doc
(441K) |
pdf
(389K)
Step 3. Project assessment:
Project assessment form:
doc (662K)
| pdf (182K)
Instruction manual:
doc (976K)
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pdf (791K)
Frequently Asked Questions
html
Benefit: Cost Index Calculator:
xls (33K)
See a completed example below.
Step 4. Selection of priority
projects:
doc (97K)
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pdf (77K)
Step 5. Investment plans or funding
proposals:
doc (83K)
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pdf (73K)
Step 6. Implementing funded projects:
doc (62K)
| pdf
(84 K)
Step 7. Monitoring, evaluation and
adaptive management:
doc (89K)
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pdf (113K)
Ways to use INFFER
doc (125K)
| pdf (121K)
(Discusses alternatives to undertaking the full seven-step process.)
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“The logic behind the assessment is really clear and thorough. I like the
way you can’t ‘fudge’ it. Anywhere you have [fudged it], whether
intentionally or not, it’s glaringly apparent and that forces you to go back
and rethink and redefine your goals or proposed actions, which makes the
overall assessment much more robust. And I like the fact that what you end
up with at the end stands on its own and is really easy to justify. When
finished, you have the why, what, how, when, by who and also the feasibility
stuff to measure likelihood of success. Every process has its limitations
and assumptions which can’t help but compromise the outcome to some degree
but of all the things I’ve seen over the last 11 years or so, this is the
most simple and the most comprehensive.”
Melanie Strang, EcoEdge Environmental Consulting
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Examples of completed Project Assessment Form
(version 18) |
Photos |
York Plains
(North Central Victoria):
doc (1018K)
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pdf (642K)
Hamersley Ranges (Rangelands, WA):
doc (994K)
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pdf (452K)
Lake Muir-Unicup (South-West WA):
doc (1581K)
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pdf (705K)
Upper Lachlan (Lachlan NSW):
doc (987K)
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pdf (682K)
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PowerPoint presentations on INFFER |
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Background and Overview
here (1342K ppt)
Graphical overview of the process (steps 1-4)
here
(388K ppt)
Benefit: Cost Index here (290K ppt)
Public: Private Benefits Framework here (286K ppt)
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Related work |
Relationship to other tools |
Public: private benefits
framework
Helps choose appropriate policy mechanism or delivery
mechanism. This is embedded within INFFER,
but can also be used as a stand-alone tool: Home page

Adoption of conservation practices
See
www.ruralpracticechange.org for a wealth of further information
relevant to adoption of conservation practices.
Pannell,
D.J., Marshall, G.R., Barr, N., Curtis, A., Vanclay, F. and Wilkinson, R.(2006). Understanding and promoting adoption of conservation practices by rural
landholders. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(11):
1407-1424.
http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/72/paper/EA05037.htm
SIF3
The Salinity Investment Framework III (SIF3), from which INFFER evolved: Home page
Discussion papers
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Using incentives to buy land-use change in agriculture
for environmental benefits here
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Using communication and education to encourage land-use
change in agriculture for environmental benefits
here
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Scale in natural resource management
here
•
Other discussion
papers here
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TOOLS2
Comparison of INFFER
and TOOLS2, prepared jointly by Greg Summerell and the INFFER team.
here
The Policy Choice Framework
Comparison of INFFER and PCF, prepared jointly by the INFFER and PCF
project teams.
here
Increment
Comparison of INFFER and Increment, prepared jointly by the INFFER and Increment
project teams. here
Market-Based Instruments
Comparison of INFFER with
MBIs and other tools of DSE Economics group, prepared jointly by David
Pannell and Gary Stoneham here
Diagram showing how various tools (INFFER, Market-Based
Instruments, eFarmer and the Catchment Modelling Framework) fit together,
prepared for (and with input from) the Victorian Department of
Sustainability and Environment. here
Commissioned reviews
Wintle, B.A., (2008). A
review of biodiversity investment prioritization tools, A report to
the Biodiversity Expert Working Group toward the development of the
Investment Framework For Environmental Resources. School of Botany,
University of Melbourne. (This review was commissioned by the INFFER
project as part of our consideration of investment prioritisation for
biodiversity) (790K pdf). here
Rattray, D. (2008). Review of Water
Quality Modelling Tools for the Investment Framework For Environmental
Resources (INFFER), Natural Solutions Environmental Consultants, Brisbane. (This review was commissioned by the INFFER
project as part of our consideration of investment prioritisation for
water quality) (1MB pdf). here
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Affiliations |
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The INFFER project team comes
from three organisations:
The University of Western Australia
David Pannell1,2, Sally Marsh2,3,
Maksym Polyakov2, Morteza Chalack2, Graeme Doole2,
Fay Davidson2,3
Department of Primary Industries, Victoria
Anna Roberts1,2, April Curatolo1,
Jenny Alexander1, Alexei Rowles2, Olga Vigiak2,
Glenn Morrison3
North Central Catchment Management Authority
Geoff Park1
Several of us (Pannell, Roberts, Park, Rowles)
are also affiliated with the Future Farm Industries CRC, which is a
partner in the project.
1Delivery, 2Research, 3Support
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Acknowledgements |
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As well as funding from our
affiliated organisations (above), the project is funded by:
Australian Research Council (Federation Fellowship program)
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (CERF program)
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria
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