WFA Environment

Australian Wine Industry Stewardship

Australian Wine Industry Stewardship (AWIS) was the programme that preceded EnviroWine Australia. Commencing in 2005, AWIS involved wide-ranging industry consultation to identify the preferred option for providing environmental assurances to underpin Wine Australia’s inherent ‘green’ image.

The initial phase of AWIS involved identifying the current level of environmental management activity occurring in the Australian wine industry. This was catalogued in the document titled Wine and Environment: What’s going on in the Australian Wine Industry

Australia ’s existing system of natural resource management under the Australian Government’s ‘Natural Heritage Trust’ proved to be a strong foundation on which to base the wine industry’s national environmental management program.

As part of Natural Heritage Trust arrangements, Australia is divided into 56 natural resource management regions. Each region has a dedicated natural resource management organisation (called Natural Resource Management Boards, Catchment Management Authorities or Catchment Councils) that is tasked with developing an environmental improvement plan for their region.

Which region are you in?

Under Phase 2 of the Natural Heritage Trust, each organisation was working towards a set of eight National Environmental Outcomes.:

The impact of salinity on land and water resources is avoided or reduced.
Biodiversity and the extent, diversity and condition of native ecosystems are maintained or rehabilitated.
Populations of significant species and ecological communities are maintained or rehabilitated.
Ecosystem services and functions are maintained or rehabilitated.
Surface and groundwater quality is maintained or enhanced.
The impact of threatening processes on locations and systems which are critical for conservation of biodiversity, agricultural production, towns, infrastructure and cultural and social values, is avoided or minimised.
Surface water and groundwater is securely allocated for sustainable production purposes and to support human uses and the environment, within the sustainable capacity of the water resource.
Sustainable production systems are developed and management practices are in place which maintain or rehabilitate biodiversity and ecosystem services, maintain or enhance resource quality, maintain productive capacity and prevent and manage degradation.

Wine grapes are grown in 34 of the 56 natural resource management regions in Australia. The WFA reviewed the 34 environmental plans relevant to these regions, and identified the environmental issues common across the board. These common issues were then used as the basis for a vineyard survey question to identify whether or not growers were making a positive contribution to that issue as part of their day-to-day vineyard management.

In 2007/2008, AWIS was expanded to include both a vineyard and winery survey. The vineyard survey is completed by both contract and company vineyards, and returned to the company when fruit is booked, usually as part of company spray diaries. The surveys are collated by the company to provide information for their own reporting, marketing or training activities. Companies also have the option of forwarding a summary of their results for inclusion in a National AWIS Report.

In 2008, AWIS is evolving into EnviroWine Australia. In response to industry demand for a more rigorous assurance system, complete with sustainability guidelines and a voluntary certification process, the WFA is working with the Wine Industry National Environment Committee and wine company representatives to develop and deliver a system that builds on the awareness built through AWIS. EnviroWine Australia is expected to be ready for roll out in 2009.

2007/2008 AWIS Vineyard Survey (501 Kb)

2007/2008 AWIS Winery Survey (493 Kb)

EXCEL spreadsheet to collate vineyard survey results (390 Kb)

2007/2008 National AWIS Report (317 Kb)