Sustaining the river health in peri-urban fringes : multiperspective analysis through key informant interviews

Using the Hawkesbury-Nepean River (HNR) system in New South Wales, Australia, as a case study, a key informant technique involving active river users (n = 3), researchers (n = 3), managers (n = 4), and river-interested-groups (n = 4) was used to examine the issues, problems, and factors affecting the management of peri-urban river systems. The study clearly highlighted the difficulty involved in defining the term river health in the context of peri-urban landscapes due to a multitude of stakeholder interests. In particular, a number of organizational objectives, personal interests, and the level of engagement of people with the river system influenced the meaning of river health. The study also indicated how the health of the HNR system has been impacted considerably by ongoing urbanization in the catchment, increased recreational activities, and ad hoc changes in government policies. Such pressures can be identified and river health can be assessed if proper indicators related to aspects of ecological and social functions are available. In addition, key informants strongly perceived river health as a shared responsibility between government agencies and river users, and the importance of a single entity to effectively facilitate the needs of different stakeholders and protect river health. In general, effective management of peri-urban rivers must be accompanied by ongoing but continuous changes to policy, planning strategies, and assessment techniques, which is lacking in present management programs.