Pastoral Act amended to allow for carbon farming and conservation on pastoral leases
A Bill to amend the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989 to allow for carbon farming and conservation on pastoral leases have passed State Parliament.
The minor amendments, which passed Parliament on Thursday 21 March 2024, resolve an inconsistency between two sections of the Act that caused legal uncertainty over the Pastoral Board’s ability to approve non-pastoral uses.
The changes give leaseholders more flexibility to manage their land and provide pastoralists with options for generating alternative revenue sources.
Importantly, the Act preserves the important role of pastoralists on the board, with four of the six members requiring experience in pastoral land management and primary production.
The amendment to the Act does not change current lease agreements.
The Bill also provides for a definition of carbon farming activities through regulation and requires the State Government to consult key stakeholders on creating the definition and any future proposed changes to that definition.
Department for Environment and Water Pastoral Land Management Director Merridie Martin said the amendments simply confirmed what has taken place for more than 30 years, enabling ongoing efforts by lessees, First Nations peoples and regional communities to manage pastoral lands in a variety of ways.
The Pastoral Act covers 323 leases making up 219 stations across an area of 40 million hectares, or roughly 40 per cent of South Australia’s landmass.
