Holistic Management Survey

Allan Savory’s recent TED talk has brought much publicity to Holistic Management, and a lot of conversation around this management framework and its impact on the land and its stewards. Holistic Management offers the prospect of much improved land management, with benefits for food production, biodiversity and even the stability of the global climate, while halting and reversing desertification. There has been an outpouring of support from HM practitioners and expressions of inspiration from people newly learning about it. However, there are also significant countering voices denouncing Holistic Management in general and HM grazing management in particular, often claiming a lack of scientific rigour to its approach, and even expressing concern that HM practice could have negative environmental consequences.

My personal view, with the declared lens of having studied a HM course and started applying HM principles, is that the studies out there showing insignificant or negative results from “Holistic Management Grazing” or “Savory Method Grazing” have generally tested aspects of grazing management associated with HM, used in a non-adaptive manner — not HM as a (Holistic!) whole. In my understanding, Holistic Management is far from being the dogmatic prescription of “Guru Savory” that its detractors seem to cast it as. I believe it actually promotes a powerfully ‘humble’ approach to land management, with an emphasis not only on goal setting and intentional direction, but vitally on the understanding that we humans are notoriously fallible when it comes to dabbling in ecosystems. HM practitioners learn to “assume that they are wrong” with their planned course of action, and to closely monitor biological indicators and be ready to adapt, change course and re-plan, in an endless spiral of action learning.

So… having declared my interest and my existing opinion, let me also declare that if I am to practice HM, I should really assume that I am wrong about Holistic Management itself! To monitor for signs that this may be the case, while fulfilling some of my postgraduate study duties at Charles Sturt University here in Australia, I am conducting a survey of people who are using Holistic Management as a land management tool. I’m looking for the good, the bad and the ugly of people’s HM experiences, and if I’m going to test my assumptions and challenge my understanding, the bad and the ugly are especially valuable! Please let me here make a call to PRI readers who are practicing or are influenced by Holistic Management to fill out a quick 10 question qualitative survey, and confidentially share your thoughts and experiences in relation to HM.

If you are willing to give a bit of your time to help further understanding of the efficacy of Holistic Management, please email me at:

• earthfarmer (at) gmail.com

A copy of the survey in full, and a copy of the university’s Participant Information Statement, are pasted below.

Key points on this survey looking at outcomes of practical influence and application of Holistic Management:

• It is for a research project going towards a Master of Sustainable Agriculture at CSU Orange, with myself (Joel Dunn) as student and supervisor, Kerry Cochrane.
• No personal information will be identifiable in the final report, which will be submitted for assessment, and may be submitted for publication.
• There are 10 key questions to answer: brief responses will only take about 10 minutes, but more in depth responses are also very welcome.
• Participants who are interested will be forwarded a copy of the final report, due in February 2014.
• Responses are sought as soon as possible, aiming to accept them until Friday 18th October, 2013.

The survey is as follows:

Holistic Management Survey

Note: This survey consists of mostly open questions, aiming to allow responses to be free of any pre-determined expectation of the types of answers that may be given.

Answer each question as briefly or in as much depth as you see fit and have time for.

Do not worry about formatting, as long as each answer follows after the relevant question: start entering your answer in the line below the question. When it is complete, please send it as an email to Joel Dunn at earthfarmer (at) gmail.com

A. Basic Introductory Information

Region and locality:

Property size:

Average annual rainfall:

Soil type:

Main farming enterprise/s:

B. Holistic Management Background

1) When and how did you first become aware of Holistic Management?

2) Why did it capture your interest?

3) What training have you had in Holistic Management? (Please include type of course/workshop and educator/s if applicable)

4) What does the term “Holistic Management” mean to you, in your own words?

5) Over what time period has Holistic Management influenced the management of your property?

C. Holistic Management Experiences

6) What changes have occurred in the management of your property as a result of your practice of Holistic Management?

7) What trends have you seen in biological indicators (eg. ground cover, pasture diversity, water use efficiency, etc.) on your property over the course of your practice of Holistic Management?

8) What trends have you seen in your property’s financial situation over the course of your practice of Holistic Management?

9) To what extent has your experience of Holistic Management practice lived up to your expectations?

10) What is your advice to peers who are interested to learn about Holistic Management?

D. Further information (optional)

11) Do you have any pasture monitoring and/or biological monitoring records (written and/or photographic) that you are happy to confidentially share for this study? [If so, please indicate what you are willing to share and how.]

12) Are you interested in participating in a follow up interview and/or site visit? [If so, please provide relevant contact details — these will be kept in strict confidence.]

13) Any further commentary relating to Holistic Management?

 

Participant Information Statement

Research Project Title: A qualitative assessment of Holistic Management in practice

1) What is the study about?

The purpose of the study is to provide information on the experiences and thoughts of landholders practising or influenced by Holistic Management, with a view to qualitatively assess the efficacy of Holistic Management as a land management framework.

2) Who is carrying out the study?

The study is being conducted by Joel Dunn, a student of Charles Sturt University. The results will form the basis of a study as part of the degree Masters in Sustainable Agriculture.

(3) What does the study involve?

The study involves using a survey. Other data collection methods such as follow-up telephone interviews or site visits may be used for participants who express interest in this.

4) How much time will the study take?

It will take anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes to finish the questionnaire, depending on the length of responses given. There are 10 main questions to answer.

5) Can I withdraw from the study?

Being in this study is completely voluntary — you are not under any obligation to consent. You can withdraw at any stage.

6) Will anyone else know the results?

A report of the study will be made for assessment by the study supervisor, and may be submitted for publication, but individual participants will not be identifiable in such a report. Participants who are interested will be forwarded a copy of the study report on request.

7) Will the study benefit me?

The study will not benefit the participants directly, however we thank you for your cooperation to help us complete this research project. The results may be of interest to you, and a report will be forwarded to you on request.

8) Can I tell other people about the study?

Yes, you can tell other people about your participating in the study, and are free to forward the survey, with this Participant Information Statement, to others you believe may be interested.

9) What if I require further information?

When you have read this information, Joel Dunn is available to discuss it with you further and answer any questions you may have. If you would like to know more at any stage, please feel free to contact me on earthfarmer (at) gmail.com (I can email you my mobile number on request for those who wish to speak to me more directly).

10) What if I have a complaint or concerns?

Any person with concerns or complaints about the conduct of a research study can contact the Director of Programs, Dr Yann Guisard, School of Rural Management, Charles Sturt University on yguisard (at) csu.edu.au