Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI)

Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement (MERI) enables program outcomes to be measured, evaluated and reported upon, and helps to improve our knowledge and practices.

Effective MERI enables the identification, collection, assessment and reporting of information to help determine if natural resources management activities produce the desired results and outcomes.

MERI is relevant at all levels of natural resources management planning and delivery, from on-ground works programs through to state level strategic plans.

MERI should be built into the initial project planning phase and continue right through to delivery of natural resources management activities and into the next planning phase.

download the Program improvement and adaptive management cycle (106kb pdf) (Australian Government, 2009).

Why we use MERI

Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement are critical for effective planning, delivery and adaptive management of natural resources management plans and programs.

MERI offers both a conceptual basis and practical mechanisms to assist natural resources management staff to incorporate MERI principles into their planning and operations.

Incorporating MERI principles into natural resources management planning and delivery enables natural resource managers to:

apply lessons learned from evaluation findings
map a clear and robust proposed plan rationale using program logic
ensure scientific rigor underpins natural resources management activities
set appropriate targets and indicators
identify baselines for measuring progress towards the targets
ensure that monitoring programs are in place to enable reporting against the target indicators
demonstrate environmental condition and trend
ensure that reporting on the project/program plan will deliver information at key decision points
ask the right evaluation questions during implementation to see if natural resources management activities are making a difference and factor allowance for adaptive management
provide confidence that outcomes from delivering the plan will be captured, evaluated and reported
identify improvement processes to inform future planning cycles.