Australian Forests & Timber News, July 2012 – 11
Can’t see the water for the trees W
ATER SCIENTIST Dr Ashley Webb recently spent time in the United States on a Gottstein Fellowship investigating how forest managers can be paid to provide clean water for the local populations. “The provision of clean drinking water is normally taken as a given,” he said “except when an extreme weather event or fire threatens the supply. There is a clear inverse relationship between the percentage of forest cover and the cost of water treatment. Essentially investing in forest health is a much cheaper way of providing quality water. “Payments for watershed services are being taken up in a number of ways in different states in the US. A way of valuing the water coming from the forest is to work out the cost of building a water filtration plant, and working back from that as to how much is viable to invest in forest management and health to ensure the continued production
D r. Ashley Webb, 2011 Gottstein Fellow
C hester Morse Lake, Cedar River watershed, near Seattle Washington of “natural” high quality water,” Dr Webb said. “Often people don’t realise that we are still a forest dependent species, relying on the forests to provide us with clean drinking water. A program in the US called Forests-to-Faucet aims at linking people to forests and the water they provide, and has been successful in getting people to understand that paying for maintaining forests is good for them too, not just the
birds and the beasties. “Australia, like the US, relies on its forests to provide clean drinking water. Australia should consider payment for watershed services schemes where, for example, rather than paying to pollute through an Environment Protection Licence, water polluting industries and land uses could be required to offset their pollution by investing in forest management elsewhere,” he said. “Plantations, rather
US carbon markets – an opportunity for Australia? DOCTOR JAMES Bulinski, of CO2 Australia, spent the early part of last year in the US working out if there were any opportunities for Australia in emerging US carbon markets. Dr Bulinski, travelling on a Gottstein Fellowship, found the US carbon market very dynamic. “Rather than having a national scheme implemented, individual US states or groups of states have been setting up their own trading schemes to reduce greenhouse emissions, some of which have now been running for a number of years,” he said. While a federal scheme has so far failed to pass through the US political system, much of the background work in developing a national carbon trading system has occurred and California is now introducing a wide ranging state-based program that is set to become one of the world’s largest carbon markets. “The value of US carbon markets is significant, with California’s program alone expected to exceed $4 billion USD between 2015 -2020,” he said. Avoided deforestation, improved forest management and reforestation projects are all potentially eligible under various US programs. International carbon offsets will likely be limited to projects in developing countries. “Unfortunately, this means Australian-based projects are not likely to be eligible under mandatorycompliance schemes, but it does not preclude Australian managers undertaking projects in developing countries and in the US itself. Australian operators also have the option of trading verified carbon credits into the voluntary market-place,” he added. “A key consideration in any carbon forest project is the sale-price that can be realised for verified carbon abatement and the demand for that abatement. At this stage, this remains something of an unknown for the
than being viewed as “users” of water, should be recognised in the broader context of the salinity, soil conservation, water quality and other benefits they provide. “I am very grateful to the Gottstein Trust for allowing me the opportunity to understand how
various schemes work in the US, and it has given me a strong backing for assisting to introduce a similar system here,” said Dr Webb. “I am also thankful for my employer, Forests NSW, in encouraging me to undertake this project to better advise on domestic issues.”
gottstein trust applications for 2013 awards
the Joseph william Gottstein Memorial trust invites applications from interested persons for Gottstein fellowships and Gottstein industry awards. GOTTSTEIN FELLOWSHIPS Fellowships are awarded to people from or associated with Australian forest industries to further their experience, education or training either within or outside Australia. Project proposals on any relevant topic are welcome. Candidates will be selected on the value of the project, and on their ability to complete and disseminate the information acquired.
GOTTSTEIN INDUSTRY AWARDS These awards are available to assist workers in the Australian forest industries to improve their industry knowledge and work skills. Applications focusing on small group study tours will be favourably viewed, although any relevant project topic may be proposed. Candidates will be selected on the value of the project.
INTERVIEWS Applications for each category will be considered by the Trustees and promising applicants will be selected for interviews in October 2012.
FURTHER INFORMATION Dr. Jame Bulinski. Californian market-place, while prices and demand in the voluntary market-place is often too low to make carbon forest projects viable at any real scale.” Dr Bulinski used the Gottstein Fellowship to fund travel across the US, which allowed him to directly interview over 28 organisations in order to understand the carbon investment landscape. “At this stage, I think the time is right for Australian managers and investors to start taking a closer look at opportunities within the US, particularly around the emerging Californian market,” he said.
Further details may be obtained from the Trust’s website at www.gottsteintrust.org, or from the Secretary.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS The closing date for applications is 7th September 2012. Applications should be forwarded to: Dr Silvia Pongracic, Secretary, J. W. Gottstein Memorial Trust Fund, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC 3169 Telephone: 0418 764 954 Fax: 03 9545 2139 Email: secretary@gottsteintrust.org