Incorporating Plantation Forestry as a Water Affecting Activity into Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan

Plantation forestry significantly influences the sustainability of the water resources and thereby poses a threat to water dependent ecosystems as evidenced in many studies. In Australia, plantation forestry has existed and shared water resources since the late 19th century; however, little consideration has been given to its impact upon water provision.  Incentives exist to push forestry expansion to meet the emergent carbon offset, such as carbon credit trading. Under the National Water Initiative (NWI), governments require implementation of a series of measures to account for and manage the water interception effects of land use change which includes forestry plantations. Accordingly, South Australia is the first state to include plantation forestry as a water affecting activity into a water allocation plan and my research aims to explore the policy change process related to the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan (LLCWAP) and how this has impacted the key stakeholders and their responses.

This research uses mixed methods for data collection, including documentary review and interviews with task force members (representing state or local government) and reference group members (representing the industry group).

This paper will present a brief history of the South East forestry water policy and elicit stakeholders’ opinions about the policy and the process of stakeholder engagement in the change process and water resources management.

Management of water resource impacts of plantation forestry currently in operation in South Australia is heralding the institution innovation not only in SA, but also can be introduced to other states and other countries. In this regard this research can offer empirical evidence for future policies.