Identifying priorities for reform to integrate coastal wetland ecosystem services into law and policy

Bell‐James, Justine; Foster, Rose; Lovelock, Catherine E.

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2023.02.013

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…While our participants did not experience tenure difficulties in a uniform way, their experience is certainly consistent with the literature that indicates that land tenure, ownership and use generally can be an influencing factor in the uptake of a restoration project (Bell-James, Fitzsimons, & Lovelock, 2023;Bell-James, Foster, & Lovelock, 2023).…”

Section: Land Tenure Can Be a Barrier To Restoration But This Barrier...supporting

confidence: 88%

“…Land tenure, ownership and use has been recognized as a barrier to marine and coastal restoration (Bell‐James, Fitzsimons, & Lovelock, 2023; Bell‐James, Foster, & Lovelock, 2023). In Australia, land may be held in private ownership, in “Crown” ownership (i.e., government owned), or in leasehold, which is a type of tenure unique to Australia where a lessee leases land directly from the government for a long period of time (often 20+ years) and for a particular purpose (often grazing or agriculture) (see Edgeworth, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overlaid across these tenures is native title, which grants Indigenous peoples rights over their traditionally owned lands (Strelein, 2005). Marine and coastal ecosystems often span across several of these tenures, and conducting restoration on each raises particular challenges (Bell-James, Fitzsimons, & Lovelock, 2023;Bell-James, Foster, & Lovelock, 2023). This has also been identified as a challenge in "scaling up" restoration, because as the size of a restorative initiative increases, so too does the potential for it to cross multiple tenures and jurisdictions (Richardson, 2016).…”

Section: Land Tenure Can Be a Barrier To Restoration But This Barrier...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Restoration in the coastal and marine space is no easy task, and is complicated by factors such as cost (Bayraktarov et al, 2016), and governance factors including land tenure (Bell‐James, Fitzsimons, & Lovelock, 2023; Bell‐James, Foster, & Lovelock, 2023), and legal permitting processes (Saunders et al, 2022; Shumway et al, 2021; Stewart‐Sinclair et al, 2020). We use the term “permitting processes” in this context to refer to the need to seek regulatory permits and approvals from government agencies prior to undertaking restoration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We use the term “permitting processes” in this context to refer to the need to seek regulatory permits and approvals from government agencies prior to undertaking restoration. While permitting processes have been identified as a hurdle to restoration progress in previous studies internationally, including in Australia (Bell‐James, Fitzsimons, & Lovelock, 2023; Bell‐James, Foster, & Lovelock, 2023; Saunders et al, 2022), the United States (Craton, 2022), South‐East Asia (Razak et al, 2022), and Europe (Cortina‐Segarra et al, 2021), none have clearly articulated specific permit challenges and their implications from a practitioner perspective.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

The permitting process for marine and coastal restoration: A barrier to achieving global restoration targets?

Bell‐James,

Foster,

Shumway

2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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To meet global restoration targets, action is needed at a large scale, and at a high level of ambition. Coastal and marine restoration may be hindered by an array of factors, including governance: in particular, the cost and time associated with obtaining permits. We interviewed a small group of restoration practitioners in Australia to further explore this permitting issue. Our study revealed a deeper problem, with the legal permitting process driving outcomes. Some proponents are turning away from the sites with the highest restoration potential, and instead choosing sites based on the ease of obtaining permits. We also found that the permitting process is only one part of the problem, and progress is also being hampered by onerous post‐approval conditions, including ongoing liability for restorative interventions. Finally, the permitting process stifles innovation and creativity as outcomes are locked‐in at the permit stage. We conclude by highlighting the urgent need to reform legal permitting processes for restoration, as current practice may put the achievement of global restoration targets at risk. It is anticipated that these findings will be of interest to restoration practitioners navigating this space, as well as policymakers.

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Section: Land Tenure Can Be a Barrier To Restoration But This Barrier...supporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Land Tenure Can Be a Barrier To Restoration But This Barrier...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The permitting process for marine and coastal restoration: A barrier to achieving global restoration targets?

Bell‐James,

Foster,

Shumway

2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Urban Wetlands Protection Law in Chile. A Successful Tool for Urban Planning

Rojas Quezada

2024

Sustainable Development Goals Series

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Land Tenure, Ownership and Use as Barriers to Coastal Wetland Restoration Projects in Australia: Recommendations and Solutions

Bell‐James

Fitzsimons

Lovelock

2023

Environmental Management

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Globally, there is an urgent need for widespread restoration of coastal wetlands like mangroves and saltmarsh. This restoration has been slow to progress in Australia for a number of reasons, including legal issues surrounding land tenure, ownership and use. This paper uses the responses to a survey of coastal zone experts to identify and articulate these legal issues, before considering and analysing in-depth recommendations, solutions and levers to facilitate restoration, and areas where further research or possible policy and/or law reform is needed. It calls for legislative reform to clarify tidal boundaries generally and under sea-level rise, greater use of incentive schemes to encourage the uptake of restoration projects, and utilisation of contracts and land-based covenants to secure projects and carbon flows.

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Identifying priorities for reform to integrate coastal wetland ecosystem services into law and policy

Cited by 10 publications

References 38 publications

The permitting process for marine and coastal restoration: A barrier to achieving global restoration targets?

The permitting process for marine and coastal restoration: A barrier to achieving global restoration targets?

Urban Wetlands Protection Law in Chile. A Successful Tool for Urban Planning

Land Tenure, Ownership and Use as Barriers to Coastal Wetland Restoration Projects in Australia: Recommendations and Solutions

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