Dear IECA Australasia,
My name is Joseph O'Connell, I am a researcher at the Centre for Applied Water Science at the University of Canberra. I'm getting in touch regarding a research project that my team are running which is examining the 'human factors' that affect the quality of water leaving urban areas that are located in Great Barrier Reef catchments. As part of the project, we're keen to talk to people who are involved in water management in urban areas in reef catchment – including people in local government, businesses, and other organisations.
We are working to contact a wide variety of organisations and individuals in GBR catchments, so we wanted to reach out and ask if you could forward the invitation below to any of your members or staff you think may be interested in the project – this helps ensure we don't miss anyone! Please feel free to get in touch about the project if you would like further information.
Kind regards
Joseph
We are inviting people working in Great Barrier Reefs water catchments, in either urban water management or roles that affect water quality leaving urban catchment, to participate in in an online interview or workshop designed to help us understand the 'human factors' that affect quality of water leaving urban catchments of the Great Barrier Reef. 'Human factors' mean all the way in which human behaviour, values and decisions affect water quality, from how residents manage garden, to the design and operation of wastewater and stormwater systems. The interviews are part of the 'Urban Water Human Dimensions Study' project.
If you would like to participate, please reply to this email. We'll then organise a convenient time to do the online interview, based on what works best for you.
In the interview, we'll ask you to discuss the ways human behaviour influences water quality in the Reef catchments you are familiar with. The exact questions will vary depending on the areas you have experience and knowledge in, but will include asking you about your views on:
- The 'human factors' that most affect quality of water leaving urban areas in the Reef catchments you are familiar with
- Factors that make it easier or harder to adopt best management practices (BMP) for urban water management
- Factors that influence the ways (i) urban residents, (ii) businesses and property owners, and (iii) councils manage urban water quality
- The roles of other organisations who influence urban water quality, such as local landcare groups
- We'll ask you if any of a number of 'human factors' found in past studies to affect urban water quality are important in your local area
- If you are directly involved in management of urban wastewater and stormwater systems, we will ask you about these systems and how they enable or present barriers to improving quality of urban water runoff to the Reef.
You are being invited to participate as a person who is involved in or has an interest in urban water management in a catchment of the Great Barrier Reef. Participation is entirely voluntary. Further information about the project is provided in the project Participant Information Form and Consent Form which is attached to this email.
If the interview is not undertaken as part of your paid work time, you will receive a gift card to thank you for your time, from giftpay.com.au. The amount of the gift card is $40 for an interview lasting up to 90 minutes (most interviews last around 60-70 minutes), and $80 for an interview lasting more than 90 minutes. Further information about the project, including ethics approval, is provided in the project Participant Information Form and Consent Form which is attached to this email.
Please don't hesitate to contact me by replying to this email should you have any questions or require further information regarding the study. I look forward to your response.
Kind regards,
Joseph O'Connell (On behalf of the project team)
Joseph O'Connell
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Centre for Applied Water Science | Institute for Applied Ecology | Faculty of Science & Technology
Building 3B41 | M +61 479 177 505 | E Joseph.oconnell@canberra.edu.au
University of Canberra | 11 Kirinari St, Bruce, ACT 2617 Australia
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Sandra Lanz
Operations Manager – Australasia Office
IECA
Picton NSW
+61 413 296 449
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