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

Abstract

The ecosystem services concept has been slow to integrate into written law and policy in Australia. We sought to examine whether the concept has permeated deeper into practice, focusing on the coastal wetland protection, management and restoration context. We conducted a Delphi study involving 16 key informants. Over two rounds of interviews we found confirmation that the ecosystem services concept is not a central part of practice, and a strong consensus support for integrating and mainstreaming ecosystem services into law and policy through law reform. Our informants also provided additional new insights on how reform should proceed: (1) integration may occur through consolidated or interconnected law and policy instruments, (2) decision-maker discretion should be retained but subject to constraints, especially regarding (3) trade-offs between different ecosystem services and ecosystem services and other land uses. Our informants also called for (4) more effective and targeted policy to facilitate restoration projects, (5) incentivised protection and restoration across land tenure types, especially on privately-owned land and (6) caution in dealing with trade-offs and financial valuations of ecosystem services. The insights provided through this Delphi study will be instructive for law and policy reform in Australia and other jurisdictions grappling with fragmented management, protection and restoration of coastal wetlands.