Valuing the preservation of rangelands: Tree clearing in the desert uplands region of Queensland.

Abstract

Tree clearing to improve pasture production for beef cattle is becoming more commonplace in the rangeland zone in Queensland. In parts of the Desert Uplands region of Central Queensland, current clearing rates are among the highest in Australia. The state government, in granting permits for clearing, has to balance the improved production benefits, accruing mostly to pastoralists, against the biodiversity losses, which are borne more widely by Australian society. In the current debate over clearing restrictions, little information exists about the values that society may hold for the preservation of rangelands. To address this deficiency, a choice modelling study was undertaken to provide estimates of the benefits of retaining remnant vegetation that are appropriate for inclusion in a benefit cost analysis of tighter clearing restrictions. Attributes included in the choice model were reductions in the population size of non-threatened species and unique ecosystems, the number of endangered species lost to the region, and changes in regional income and employment. The benefits estimated for individual attributes, and for some more restrictive policy settings are reported. Key words: remnant native vegetation, economic valuation, grazing industry, pasture development, choice modelling