Collective visions for coastal offsets that generate multiple ecosystem benefits

A literature review of Australian coastal offset policies, legislation and best practice provided insights about the complex, multi-jurisdictional coastal governance and a possibly associated propensity for financial... [ view full abstract ]

A literature review of Australian coastal offset policies, legislation and best practice provided insights about the complex, multi-jurisdictional coastal governance and a possibly associated propensity for financial offsets to lead to unintended outcomes. We undertook a review and audit of the Logan City Council environmental offsets program. During that process we convened an elicitation workshop to consider the wider context of the current offsets program and to investigate options for local landholders participate in offsets. Participatory engagement processes were designed for the workshop such that the participants would collectively determine the key issues, and identify program improvement and expansion opportunities. Researchers presented a range of information on ecosystem services and the triple bottom line concept of seeking to balance environmental, social and economic benefits. Offset requirements in theory and practice plus the legislative and policy requirements and finally, economic instruments in emerging offset markets were all explained to the workshop attendees. The potential for new future programs to involve private landholders and residents was proposed and the importance of waterways and water quality recovery reinforced as an overall Council priority. The workshop findings were based on the combination of participant input through various exercises. A novel reflective whole group  session considered turning back time and imagining what could have been done differently in the past. In the solution-seeking session  participants split into small groups and use a rapid brainstorming approach. As such all participants suggested those ideas that could be argued to produce multiple benefits across the triple bottom line. One of the solutions was to use offset funds to create highly visible street plantings with already active community groups, for example, BushCare. Workshop participants also discussed refinementsfor the offsets program, both in terms of costings and the avoidance of perverse incentives. The synthesis of the workshop outputs and the program economic review led to some recommendations for wiser incentives. One direct recommendation and early outcome is that Council offset plantings will now be prioritised to the riparian zones along waterways. Another novel and pragmatic approach of allowing local landholders  to transplant and relocate plants, native shrubs and small bushes in development areas prior to large-scale clearing will be further investigated. This approach could be complementary to the establishment of a private landholder offset scheme. Our research findings identified potential barriers to involvement in such an offset scheme as bureaucracy, trust, lack of timely expert advice and impacts on land values. This participatory workshop highlights how an interdisciplinary approach strengthens and promotes the development of innovative solutions intentionally designed to produce multiple environmental, social and economic benefits. Graphic facilitation, including real-time capture, was useful for participants to see, reflect on and further expand issues, challenges and solutions they pointed out during the workshop. 

Keywords: environmental offsets, interdisciplinary, triple bottom line, incentives, coastal management