2nd International Salinity Forum - Salinity, Water and Society – Global issues, local action

Objectives of the Forum
The Second International Salinity Forum will provide an opportunity for international and Australian audiences to:

• Exchange cutting edge knowledge about the science, policies and management practices relating to salinity, and particularly its associated water and human dimensions;

• Cement and enhance the international network of scientific, engineering, policy and community interests associated with salinity;

• Provide a forum for translating scientific knowledge about salinity into sound policy, management and on-ground actions to secure long-term food production, protect land, water and vegetation resources and enhance quality of life globally

Journals
The Technical Organising Committee has had discussions with some Journals in relation to papers presented at the Forum being included in a future publication.

These include*:

Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment

Journal of Eco-hydrology

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture/Agricultural Research

Journal of Hydrogeology

Natural Hazards Review

American Geophysical Union monograph series

International Association of Sedimentologists Monograph

Australian Journal of Earth Sciences

Australian Journal of Exploration Geophysics

*NB: Having an abstract accepted by the Forum is not a guarantee of the paper or abstract being published in a Journal.

Themes

The where, why and how of salinisation and water impacts
This session will examine our current understanding of salinisation processes, and identify gaps that require further research. Contributions are invited across the issues of irrigation, dryland (rangeland), urban and semi-arid zone salinity, aquifer salinisation and intrusion, salinity resulting from catastrophic events (eg tsunamis, cyclones, floods), and associated water quality impacts. Individual topics will include hazard mapping methods and technologies, risk assessment, modelling and monitoring, climate impacts and basin/catchment characterisation (groundwater dependent ecosystems)

Salinity and people - social and economic dimensions
Salinity management is about people. Social and economic issues are often at least as important as biophysical aspects in the pursuit of managing salinity. This topic will cover how salinity affects people as well as the economics of salinity. Solutions-oriented issues such as engagement, extension methodologies, capacity building and community re-structuring as a result of salinity and water reform/policy will be covered. We are particularly interested in papers addressing food production and population pressures resulting from salinisation and associated water issues in developing and developed countries and continents, and the responses to these pressures. This theme will also showcase contemporary economic options relevant from the scales of the individual land manager/property level through to local communities, watersheds/catchments, and cross-jurisdictional and international relationships.

Policy and government
Policy and institutional processes can help or hinder people and communities to manage of salinity. What are the contemporary approaches to help people and cultures manage salinity and protect essential natural and built assets? What have been notable policy successes and failures in salinity management and what can we learn from such examples? We are interested in papers, which analyse the role and use of science in informing the policy process as well as examples of generating a demand for science from policy-makers to help inform evidence-based policy. Approaches from different countries, cultures and institutional settings are sought, in particular those dealing with water sharing arrangements and contemporary policy reform. The appropriate scale for policy development and implementation (eg. industry, watershed/catchment, state, national and international) as well as papers addressing policy accountability will be welcomed.

Managing salinity on-the-ground
To manage salinity and its associated water impacts, we have employed nearly all branches of science to relocate salt in the environment. In addition we have in many cases made the decision to make productive use of what otherwise would be a waste product. Papers are invited that address strategies for managing salinity through plant and engineering based options including the use of agronomic and vegetation management, groundwater pumping, disposal (evaporative; re-injection; seepage; re-use; serial biological concentration). We are also keen to see papers addressing novel and innovative options for the future management of salinity and use of saline water i.e. energy production; saline aqua-culture, algal production; salt harvesting. Papers that advance our knowledge about and capacity to monitor the effectiveness of on-ground works will be most welcome.

Sustaining the Environment
Salinity and its associated water impacts have significant and detrimental affects on the health of environmental resources and assets. Land, water and vegetation quality, wildlife habitat, ecosystem functions, including groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and landscape aesthetics are affected by both the processes of salinisation and the consequences of policy and management interventions to address these. Papers are particularly welcome that seek an understanding of the cost a`nd nature of environmental impacts, and examples of achieving multi-objective benefits including environmental benefits from strategies of prevention, containment, rehabilitation or adaptation.

Forum Secretariat
C/- Conference Logistics
PO Box 6150 Kingston ACT 2604 AUSTRALIA
T: + 61 2 62816624 F: + 61 2 62851336 E:[email protected]
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