Investigating the Possible Use of Carbon

Sequestration for Wetland Restoration

ISDE7 Perth 23-25 August 2011

Robert WocheslanderRichard Harper

Background

Wetlands -what are the issues?

Around 75% of the wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain lost or degraded

Causes are known

Knowledge for restoration is there

Why is restoration not occurring?

Background (cont.)

Costs are high and unlikely to be covered by public funds entirely

Financial incentive required

Use of carbon sequestration by establishing carbon sinks

Can Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) fund the repair of wetlands?

Carbon Farming Initiative

It includes: A carbon crediting mechanism

(“scheme”)

Funding for developing methodologies

Information and tools to help landholders and farmers

An initiative of the Australian Government, currently before Parliament

Carbon Farming Initiative

Targets following activities:

Reforestation and sustainable forest management projects

Avoided deforestation Agriculture projects, i.e.

Soil carbon managementManure managementMethane emission reduction from livestock

Savannah fire management Emissions reduction from legacy landfill waste

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is rehabilitation possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Methods Literature review

• - The nature of wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain• - Wetland restoration techniques• - Carbon sinks and carbon farming schemes• - Data available to provide estimates of carbon sinks

GIS analysis of available datasets to define suitable wetland areas

Wetland type, tenure, landuse, DEM, hydrology, soil type, cadastre, vegetation, aerial photos, rainfall data etc

Prediction of carbon sequestration potential

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is restoration possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

Swan Coastal Plain

LocationSouth-west of WA

Size ~550km long

~6 to 35km wide

Area ~1.52 Mha

Swan Coastal Plain

Sediment 2.5 M years old

Characteristic dune system

Wetlands cover ~362,000ha,~25% of

SCP shallow, changing in depth

and shape vulnerable to disturbances

(From Balla, 1994)

Wetlands Study area

3 Sub-catchmentsSerpentineMurrayHarvey

Wetland type

Area (Ha)

Creek 14.01

River 33.88

Lake 37.58

Dampland 6.755.43

Sumpland 4,670.88

Paluslope 48.49

Sum 11,560.18

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is restoration possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

Restoration

Definition Ecological Restoration (SER, 2004)“...the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed.”

Ecological restoration has seen massive development over the last decades

Improvement in understanding of ecosystems occurring

Important to considerSetting goals and success criteriaSpecifying objectives and strategiesMonitor key variables

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is restoration possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

How much carbon?

Wood production is correlated to soil type and climate as particular species have specific requirements

Lack of data regarding growth rates and carbon sequestration rates of species for revegetation of wetlands

So far such rates are only available for commercial forestry species i.e. Pinus pinaster or E. globulus

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is restoration possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

Is it economical?

Previous studies show mixed results

Flugge & Abadi (2006). Low & medium rainfall regions in WA

• Need carbon price of $66/t CO2–e (low) or $45/t CO2–e (high)

Harper et al. (2007). Cleared farmland in WA

• Carbon offset viable at $15/t CO2–e

Harris-Adams & Kingwell (2009). Agricultural region in WA

• Carbon offset viable at $20/t CO2–e

Donaghy et al. (2010). Agroforestry in semi-arid QLD

• From $10/t CO2–e onwards it becomes financially viable for landholders

Is it economical? (Cont.)

Lack of growth and sequestration data makes it difficult to predict for wetlands

Depends on establishment and maintenance expenses of projects

Previous studies show mixed results for different scenarios

Further, additional benefits like biodiversity are not accounted for at the moment but that could change in the future

Can the CFI fund the repair of wetlands?

A scoping study on the Swan Coastal Plain

Important questionsHow much land is available?Is restoration possible?How much carbon could be sequestered?Is it economical? Other issues?

Other issues

Technical barriers regarding carbon forestry

Uncertainties about carbon pricing

Conflict with food production

Support by Government

Research funding

Summary

Wetland degradation is a problem

Carbon sequestration activities beneficial

Financial incentive required

Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) could be a promising starting point

This study aims to assess CFI’s potential for wetland restoration

Further research required

Acknowledgements

• Peel Harvey Catchment Council

• South West Catchment Council (SWCC)

• Bernie Masters

• Stan Sochacki

• Halina Kobryn