A modelling shell for participatory assessment and management of natural resources

Recent structural and jurisdictional developments in natural resources management have resulted in requirements for more open and inclusive management processes. These processes generally use participatory approaches to involve a wide stakeholder audience in management investigations and policy development. Along with these changes have come requirements for more open approaches to the combined spatial and temporal modelling often used in management, leading to the development of tools that are designed to meet the needs of managers and other stakeholders. This paper presents a modelling shell that has been developed to support the participatory assessment and management of natural resources. The modelling shell concept is based upon experience gained during development of a number of natural resources modelling applications over the past 10 years. The shell supports the basic functions of data manipulation, simulation management and output presentation, and is underlain by a simple, accessible and easily understood system of data storage and manipulation. By providing these common functions, the modelling shell allows the people involved in system model construction to concentrate on the important issues of algorithm selection and development, rather than the often messy and time consuming issues of input–output.