Regular monitoring will help to determine whether:

• The program’s day to day operations conform to the goals and objectives See Planning
• The policies and procedures are working and relevant
• The amount of resources matches the number of volunteers
• More money is needed
• More paid staff are needed
• The work being done by the volunteers is achieving the desired results
• The program is running smoothly or needs review
  

Tools for monitoring and evaluating sites and on-ground work
This information will help future land managers long after the current staff and volunteers have moved on.

• Have regular meetings and site inspections with staff and volunteers - check the work done matches the site strategy and the program’s measurable objectives. See Planning
• Annual Reports – for each site, project, major tasks, and for the program as a whole to show how the program has changed, grown and succeeded.
• Keep and check written reports for each volunteer work session. See Administration (Work reports)
• Use a native tube stock planting inventory to record all plants planted on a site and include details of the date, numbers delivered, numbers planted, where the plants were sourced and who was involved in the planting.
• Use a Geographic Information System to record and map natural areas.
  
• Take periodic photos, slides and videos from fixed points of a site. Sort your photo library so that it is easy to find a particular photo when needed.

Brisbane City Council has developed an extensive site and group evaluation form for the Habitat Brisbane groups to complete each year www.brisbane.qld.gov.au