HOBART — The "Pedder 2000" campaign — to restore Tasmania's Lake Pedder to its original condition — has attracted considerable attention since it was launched on April 18 by David Bellamy, Bob Brown and the David Suzuki Foundation. They said it had been "morally wrong" to drown Pedder, and that the scientific capacity now existed to restore it. A restored Pedder would bring "hope to a new generation" and be "a catalyst for environmental repair around the globe".
An initial study by energy and economic consultant Brian Kohl and tourism consultant Dr Louise Crossley, released on May 16, regards possible economic costs to the state from restoration of the lake as minimal to zero.
On the other hand, direct benefits are expected to accrue from international, national and federal government grants. The sum of possible grants could exceed the costs of restoration. Also, there is great potential for Tasmania to gain international recognition and thus spin-offs, particularly in the spheres of ecotourism, wilderness and adventure tourism.
If the restored Lake Padder increased interstate and overseas tourism by 4% and intrastate tourism by 2%, it could generate around $20 million in extra revenue a year, which would translate into a gross increase of 620 jobs in the Tasmanian economy.
The restoration project itself could also be of benefit. It would be labour-intensive and would provide employment for scientists and field workers, thus creating exportable intellectual and technical capital.
The campaign is being touted as a complement to the Sydney 2000 Olympics and as a possible precedent for other restoration projects.
Estimated costs of restoration vary. One option is to leave the area to regenerate itself, with minimal costs. Alternatively, the dams could be dismantled and the area restored at a substantial cost. This would also create jobs and skills.
There is even the suggestion that money could be made by selling sections of the dam face, in much the same way that sections of the Berlin Wall were sold.
Possible effects on the Tasmanian fishing industry were assessed as negligible and the loss to industry estimated at a maximum of $0.8 million. The restored Lake Pedder would also still have trout in it, which the original lake did not.
In terms of electricity generation, Tasmania is currently assessed as having an oversupply of approximately 130 megawatts. When the aluminium company Comalco leaves the state, which is likely to happen, the oversupply will increase to around 300 megawatts. Aluminium smelting is the only industry in the world that requires this level of electricity.
Twenty years after the dam was built the equation is clear. Bob Burton summarised it: "The heart of one National Park was exchanged for 20,000 tonnes of aluminium, a massive debt and a net loss of jobs".
The Pedder 2000 project is being promoted as symbolising a new relationship: "If we are going to all this trouble to restore what was once wilderness, then from now on we must protect the rest and our whole environment, so that we won't ever have to do this again".