1 Significance and Aims• Environmental management of military activities–a growing global

concern by defence forces• Specific case studies of environmental management evaluation in

complex training areas particularly limited• To evaluate the operation of the Australian Defence Force (ADF)

Environmental Management System (EMS) and its effectiveness at Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) using a specific Environmental Performance Indicator (EPI) framework

8 Results and conclusions• A systematic and independent evaluation facilitated by EMS and Environmental

Performance Evaluation (EPE)’s combination using the SWBTA-APISR indicator framework

• Innovative features of the EPI framework–a high-level integration of indicators; the incorporation of specific issues (e.g. Marine Protected Areas, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), sustainability and Aboriginal values)

• Minor and temporary environmental impacts, with no significant environmental damage to date

• Compliance with relevant legislation, ADF’s environmental policies and objectives during its EMS implementation

• Effective environmental awareness training and marginally effective stakeholder participation considered by respondents

• Overall, an effective ADF EMS is effective in its implementation, resulting in a high-level environmental performance at SWBTA

9 Recommendations• Focus continuously on the potential impacts of the common concerns; more

appropriate planning of exercises (e.g. timing, frequency and types of activities) to ensure a satisfactory quality of training and environmental protection

• Improve continuous environmental monitoring; collect more long-term data and high-quality information

• Strengthen internal and external reporting, communication and cooperation; revise EPI indicators as necessary;

• Enhance science research and integrated environmental management

4 SWBTA EPI framework

A multi-method approach

Field trip to SWBTA (July 2009) - personal observation, interviews with and surveys to exercise participants

An EPI ranking procedure with an expert panel afterwards according to ‘Reliability’ and ‘Feasibility’–reduce the number of indicators and

highlight indicator priorities

SPSS software for the analysis of survey data–descriptive statistics, Cross tabulations, Chi-square tests, nonparametric correlation analysis

Interviews with local community surveysto general public

3 Methodology

Risk = Likelihood of occurrence × Consequence

2 The ADF EMS and SWBTA

• One of the most important military training areas in Australia

• Exceptional venue for single, joint and combined exercises• Marine component within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

and Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area• High environmental values of national and international

significance• Major military exercises– Kangaroo, the Crocodile series,

Tandem Thrust, Talisman Saber

ADF EMS model based on ISO14001

SWBTA, Queensland

Environmental risk assessment matrix

Likelihood Ranking

Consequence Ranking

Severe Major Moderate Minor Negligible

Almost Certain Very High Very High High Medium Low

Likely Very High High Medium Medium Low

Possible High High Medium Medium Low

Unlikely High Medium Medium Low Low

Rare High Medium Low Low Low

• ‘As Low As Reasonably Possible’ principal

• Public Environment Reports and Environmental Management Plans

• Environmental Instructions;• Military Standard Operating

Procedures• Standing Orders

6 Environmental awareness training

• Conducted prior to each exercise• Environmental induction• Awareness presentations• DVD and awareness cards• Unit and group briefings

Evaluation via environmental performance indicator framework

Activity Pressure ImpactState Response

Input OutputOperational process

Successful EMS

implementation

Aim Outcome

Environmental performance

EMS effectiveness

Conceptual models

5 Environmental risk assessment and management

7 Stakeholder participation

Wider community–local council, NGOs, scientific researchers, residents