The Purpose of Environmental Assessment and Monitoring

To provide information to assist in making appropriate management decisions.

Environmental Assessment evaluates environmental conditions at a specific point in time, and predicts future changes. EA uses available information on historic trends and can look at the present situation on the ground. Monitoring looks at environmental changes as they occur, advising on the need for management changes. Monitoring collects information on the ground looking at changes in the "present" situation, and compares these to historical information

- Environmental Assessment - Existing Management Systems: evaluates whether there are already negative environmental impacts resulting from an existing livestock management system, or whether any are likely to occur, and so whether development interventions are required to counteract negative impacts.
- Environmental Assessment - Proposed Development Interventions: predicts potential negative environmental impacts of a proposed development intervention, so that actions can be included to avoid or reduce negative impacts.
- Monitoring - Changes in Existing Management Systems: follows changes in an existing livestock management system, to advise on the need for future interventions should the risk of negative environmental impacts change.
- Monitoring - Impacts of Development Interventions: used to check whether the expected benefits of development interventions are achieved, to establish whether there may be a need for changes in the interventions.

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