3 Integrated Environmental Management
The National Soil Conservation Program (NSCP) was established in 1983 as the
primary means to implement the major findings of the Collaborative Study and to
confront Australia’s serious soil degradation problem.
19 States were allocated finance
by the federal government to stimulate their soil degradation control efforts, and the
National Soil Conservation Advisory Committee (NSCAC) recommended soil conservation priorities and strategies based on assessed national needs. Significantly,
around this time, the perception and understanding of soil conservation began to
change. Farmers and environmentalists became united in their view that soil conservation was a major national environmental issue, a view strongly influenced by an
expanding global movement for sustainable development and this was reflected in the
1989 National Soil Conservation Strategy of Australia (NSCSA),
20 which was
developed in response to the National Conservation Strategy for Australia.
21
Another significant development in the 1980s was that the effectiveness of soil
degradation policies was being brought under serious question, widening the debate
over the environmental role of soil conservation and its potential contribution to
biodiversity conservation.
22 A variety of national and state environmental strategies
were developed during this period, acknowledging the contribution of soil conservation to improved water quality, landscape health, to increasing soil carbon storage as a
component of climate change management, and to the conservation of Australia’s
biodiversity.
23
By the early 1990s, in keeping with the national agenda of environmentalism—
which was consolidated in the nation’s Intergovernmental Agreement on the
Environment (IAE)
24
—most states by this time had commenced comprehensive
environmental law and policy reform. The reform occurred in the areas of water,
vegetation, environmental assessment, environment protection, land planning, and
pollution management and with a greater focus on integrated natural resources
legislation. The traditional “soil conservation” law was not a prominent part of this
reform, with only two of the eight states replacing their soil conservation laws. The
eight states reacted as follows:
• Four states retained their soil conservation laws but introduced additional integrated natural resource management laws—Queensland, New South Wales,
Western Australia, and Northern Territory.
• Two states abolished their soil conservation laws and introduced comprehensive
integrated natural resources law that made provision for soil conservation as a
19 Australia (1978b), Report 1 Chapter 4, Land degradation assessment.
20 Australian Soil Conservation Council (1989).
21 Australia (1983).
22 Australia (1989).
23 Australia (1992b).
24 Australia (1992a).
186
I. Hannam
The National Soil Conservation Program (NSCP) was established in 1983 as the
primary means to implement the major findings of the Collaborative Study and to
confront Australia’s serious soil degradation problem.
19 States were allocated finance
by the federal government to stimulate their soil degradation control efforts, and the
National Soil Conservation Advisory Committee (NSCAC) recommended soil conservation priorities and strategies based on assessed national needs. Significantly,
around this time, the perception and understanding of soil conservation began to
change. Farmers and environmentalists became united in their view that soil conservation was a major national environmental issue, a view strongly influenced by an
expanding global movement for sustainable development and this was reflected in the
1989 National Soil Conservation Strategy of Australia (NSCSA),
20 which was
developed in response to the National Conservation Strategy for Australia.
21
Another significant development in the 1980s was that the effectiveness of soil
degradation policies was being brought under serious question, widening the debate
over the environmental role of soil conservation and its potential contribution to
biodiversity conservation.
22 A variety of national and state environmental strategies
were developed during this period, acknowledging the contribution of soil conservation to improved water quality, landscape health, to increasing soil carbon storage as a
component of climate change management, and to the conservation of Australia’s
biodiversity.
23
By the early 1990s, in keeping with the national agenda of environmentalism—
which was consolidated in the nation’s Intergovernmental Agreement on the
Environment (IAE)
24
—most states by this time had commenced comprehensive
environmental law and policy reform. The reform occurred in the areas of water,
vegetation, environmental assessment, environment protection, land planning, and
pollution management and with a greater focus on integrated natural resources
legislation. The traditional “soil conservation” law was not a prominent part of this
reform, with only two of the eight states replacing their soil conservation laws. The
eight states reacted as follows:
• Four states retained their soil conservation laws but introduced additional integrated natural resource management laws—Queensland, New South Wales,
Western Australia, and Northern Territory.
• Two states abolished their soil conservation laws and introduced comprehensive
integrated natural resources law that made provision for soil conservation as a
19 Australia (1978b), Report 1 Chapter 4, Land degradation assessment.
20 Australian Soil Conservation Council (1989).
21 Australia (1983).
22 Australia (1989).
23 Australia (1992b).
24 Australia (1992a).
186
I. Hannam