Assessing Institutional Integration in Ecosystem Management: Case Study of Queensland, Australia

This research aims to examine the adequacy of state institutional arrangements in Queensland, Australia for effective ecosystem management. It evaluates integration of current state institutions of Queensland in the management of wetland ecosystems. The ecosystem management concept provides the theoretical framework for this study. Ecosystem management covers three aspects: socioeconomic, ecological and institutional. It supports a holistic or systems approach to the management of environmental systems where ecological boundaries determine the management area and framework. The research explores state institutional arrangements in Queensland within the boundaries of one ecosystem. It addresses two aspects of ecosystem management: ecological and institutional. The research is designed as a single case study and is based on a desktop investigation.