The framework, announced today by Environment and Conservation Minister Jay Weatherill and Forests Minister Paul Caica, will guide water use planning by decision-makers in regions where plantation forestry is a land use.

This includes planning by industry, regional Natural Resource Management Boards, Local Councils and the State Government.

“More than ever, governments, industry and the community understand water is a vital natural resource that must be managed carefully”, Mr Weatherill said.

“Industries reliant on water are looking for certainty about the future management of the water resources they rely upon, and this framework is designed with that in mind for the forestry industry”.

Minister Caica says the framework recognises that plantation forests are a dry land crop.

“As such, they use water differently from irrigated agriculture and other water uses, so we need a system to properly account for, and effectively manage, forest water use”, he said.

The policy framework is designed to:

Provide direction for the development of state and regional NRM plans, including water allocation plans.

Ensure that water-affecting activities are identified and managed within sustainable limits.

Promote the use of appropriate management tools.

Effectively account for the environmental, social and economic impacts of water allocation decisions.

The Ministers say the planning process will ensure extensive community consultation with all interested parties, including the forestry industry.

Legislation was introduced into Parliament last week to enable the licensing of commercial forestry, where necessary, to assist in ensuring the long-term integrity of a water resource. This adds to other options for managing the use of water resources, provided in the NRM legislative framework.

The framework will be implemented through regional Natural Resources Management Plans and Water Allocation Plans.

Invitations have been issued to NRM boards and key industry organisations to attend a briefing to be held soon by the Ministers on the policy framework and the draft legislation.