This RIRDC study models the way land use changes, especially forest expansion (as with Managed Investment Schemes) in the upper parts of a catchment affect water and salt flows to the lower parts. In particular it looks at the impact of forest expansion due to Managed Investment Schemes. It assesses the economic efficiency, equity and environmental impacts of market policy intervention to control new tree plantations in the upper catchment.
The project will be of immediate benefit to the land owners, catchment management authorities and other agencies in the two catchments used to provide quantitative examples, Bet Bet, Victoria and the Macquarie, New South Wales. Other land owners, authorities, agencies and policy makers facing similar challenges elsewhere may benefit from the ideas, methods and examples presented here.