What’s happening with WCA?
The CEO's Desk
Wonderful things have been happening for wetlands, and the environment generally, around Australia. It's great that WetlandCare Australia is a part of that, as its great to see our dedicated team of professionals and volunteers deliver concrete outcomes in partnership with property owners, community, and government.
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| Sustainable NSW Coastal Wetlands Project Update:
During September the Sustainable Wetlands project team completed a series of workshops to 'tap-into' local wetland knowledge in the project area. Topics of discussion during the workshops included the maps, wetland classes and the prioritisation process. Also, WetlandCare Australia's Sustainable Wetlands on NSW Coastal Landscapes Toolkit team have compiled information on useful wetland management tools.
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| Queensland Coastal Wetlands Protection Program: Stage 3
In late November 2005, the project's Independent Reference Group recommended to DEH (Canberra), approval of another 10 wetland project proposals, bringing the total to 15 sites to be funded under the $2 million Coastal Wetland Pilot Program.
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| Bungawalbin Projects Update:
Wetland Health Project, Riparian Restoration Project and Black-necked Stork & Jacana Project.
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| Montane Endangered Ecological Community Wetlands
This project is funded by the NRCMA and involves several components. Firstly the project will result in the restoration of degraded montane wetlands within the NRCMA area - an area from Walcha to Tenterfield along the crest of the Great Dividing Range. Secondly the project will increase knowledge of the importance of these areas and will promote best management practices for these areas with a number of field days across the New England Tablelands. The project is being undertaken in tandem with Granite Borders Landcare Inc and other regional Landcare organisations in the New England.
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| Successful New Projects
Northern NSW wetland projects - We have commenced several new wetland projects, funded by the Northern Rivers CMA, in association with the Natural Heritage Trust; WetlandLink communications project for coastal NSW, funded by the Natural Heritage Trust: to provide relevant management, technical, and case study information to wetland owners and managers; "Exchange" training project funded by Land & Water Australia in conjunction with Greening Australia.
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| Forums & Conferences:
Cassie Burns (Senior Project Officer) represented WCA at the Wetlands Centre's Wetland Innovations Forum in Newcastle in October. Cassie presented information on the advantages and limitations of using spatial data and Geographic Information Systems in wetland management and also highlighted the current work WCA is doing in this field. Relevant projects include; NRCMA Wetland Assessment (2004), Sustainable Wetlands Project (2005/2006) and the Estuarine Wetland Assessment Project (2005/2006).
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| Staff Profile: Che Golus - Project Officer
I have been working for WetlandCare Australia for a little over two months, on WetlandCare's Estuarine Assessment and Prioritisation Project. I completed my degree in applied science through Southern Cross University in October this year, whilst already working for WetlandCare. I have recently returned from field-work in the Snowy Mountains where I completed a project looking at the impact of feral animals on native mammals in the alpine environment. Working back in the heat, with flies and mozzies the north coast has been a big change from the freezing blizzards of the snowies.
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| Sponsors: Digital Evolution
We receive a lot of comments on our great website - a result of the professionalism of Digital Evolution, one of our sponsors.
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| New Board Members
Chairman Craig Copeland has recently secured the services of six new directors to WCA's Board. We now have a total of 13 directors and they will all meet together for the first time in Ballina in August for WCA's General Meeting.
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| New personnel
Kerry Hogan, Bianca Smith and Brigita Arrowsmith are now working closely with Cassie Burns and Alan Cibilic on a new project - Sustainable Wetlands on NSW Coastal Landscapes project
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| Commercial Fishermen Sponsor Wetland Work
WetlandCare Australia is very fortunate to have the Ballina Mullet Fishermen donate a percentage of their mullet haul catch from the Richmond River for the rehabilitation of fish habitat.
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| FFFX Extension Project Workshops
During June this year, DPI (Fisheries and Agriculture) and WetlandCare Australia joined forces with funding from the NSW Government's Environmental Trust, to extend their previous project successes in floodgate and wetland management on the north coast to other coastal catchments in NSW.
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| Project Briefs - Wetland Assessment & Prioritisation
This project is funded by the NSW Government's Environmental Trust. The project is developing additional assessment techniques for saltwater & brackish wetland communities, focusing on selected wetlands in the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond & Clarence catchment. The assessments will be used to prioritise them for on-ground rehabilitation & protection. The project will continue until December 2006.
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| Project Briefs - Sustainable Wetlands on NSW Coastal Landscapes
The Sustainable Wetlands project is funded by the NHT through the Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (HCRCMA), in partnership with Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA).
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| Project Brief: Lower Bungawalbin Riparian Restoration Project
The three-year project sponsored by the NSW Environmental Trust is now in its last year. Since March 2005 a total of 6km of riparian fencing have been constructed on two properties along Bungawalbin Creek, 35km SE of Lismore. On ground works were assisted by two EnviTE teams and included construction of a solar engergiser pole above flood level.
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| Project Briefs: Bungawalbin Wetland Health Project
Funded by the Myer Foundation, this project targets mitigation of acid sulphate soils and blackwater events. WCA's Garry Owers was progressing well until late June when heavy rains resulted in flooding which brought a complete stop to the project. Survey areas were under two to three metres of water.
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| Floodplain News
With the recent heavy rainfall, many of the NSW coastal floodplains came alive and showed their role as intermittent wetlands.
While in most areas the rains didn't extend far from the coast, many of the coastal creeks and rivers showed a distinct fresh, and a number of ICOLs (Intermittently closed & open lakes) broke free to the ocean.
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| Funding Applications
The office was a hive of activity towards the middle of June with the completion of proposals and funding applications submitted to the Northern Rivers CMA (NSW) and the National Landcare Program. There will be a full project update in our next newsletter.
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| Website updates
We are currently undertaking the on-going job of updating our website. Our aim is to provide easy access to newsletters, project updates, reports, information bulletins, and fact sheets. Our high-volume website is already full of useful information, and we hope that through the review, visitors will be able to more easily find what they're looking for.
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| Volunteers
In response to the steady number of requests from people who wish to volunteer their time and help us out, we now have a Volunteer registration sheet.
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| Staff Profile - Garry Owers
Garry has been working with WetlandCare Australia for 19 months on three projects initiated by Bungawalbin Catchment Management Group and targeting the Bungawalbin Catchment in Northern NSW. Before coming to WCA he worked with Bungawalbin Catchment Management Group on the Myrtle Creek Riparian Restoration project and previously surveyed and mapped the condition of 500 km of Bungawalbin Creek.
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| Sponsors: Billabong Bugs
The Queensland based company, Billabong Bugs, has ventured into this niche area, producing home kits of Triops australiensis, or Australian shield shrimp. T. australiensis is a three-eyed crustacean which is distributed throughout a wide area of inland Australia.
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| Change of office address
In March this year our head office moved premises - but only next door! Our new premises are larger and much more habitable and user-friendly.
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| Regional Wetland Specialists
We have generated quite a lot of interest in our expanding network of Regional Wetland Specialists (RWS) but it is frequently a slow process in finding the right candidates and an arrangement that suits both parties.
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| The CEO’s desk
WetlandCare Australia has forged new partnerships in recent times, at the local, regional, and national level, and it is these that help drive our new wetland projects. With a long history of wetland operations (since 1991), WCA has a strong network of supporters and advisors, and this continues to develop.
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| Update - Wetland Assessment & Prioritisation
Funded by the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA), the Wetland Assessment & Prioritisation project used available spatial data to assess the condition (conservation values and impacts) on priority freshwater wetland complexes at Cobaki, Cudgen, Belongil, Newrybar, and Tuckean & Bungawalbin in northern NSW. Wetland condition was also assessed in the field to calibrate the desk-top assessment.
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| Update - Great Barrier Reef Coastal Wetland Protection Program
WCA is providing a key technical role to Conservation Volunteers Australia in delivering the $2m CWPP which is funded by DEH, Canberra.
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| Update - Fish Unlimited
Funded under the Federal Government Sustainable Regions Program, the project was designed to improve the health and extent of fish habitat (target 130 ha) in both estuarine and freshwater reaches of the Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed River catchments in northern NSW.
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| Update - Cattai Wetland Management Plan
In 2004, Greater Taree City Council (central coast area, NSW) purchased 460ha of land containing extensive wetlands that were impacted, in part, by acid sulfate soils and agricultural drainage, and which were previously identified as needing restoration. Some high conservation value wetlands also occur on the property, which also has significant aboriginal cultural value.
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| Update - Grazing as a Riparian & Wetland Management Tool: Lower Burdekin, QLD
WCA's Jim Tait has been conducting grazing & riparian management trials in the Burdekin area of north Queensland, and monitoring is expected to continue for another year. The trials are investigating the impacts of grazing regimes and stock type (cattle, goats, horses), and the inter-relationship with fire regimes, weed control, and to a lesser extent, water quality.
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| Update - Clarence Fencing Incentives Program
Wetland Care Australia recently completed the community based program of Fencing Incentives, funded by the Northern Rivers CMB, to enhance or conserve identified aquatic and marine ecosystems.
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| Update - Miscellaneous small projects
Projects include: East Ballina Landcare Project (EnviroFund), Crystal Waters Lagoon Management Plan and Urunga Lagoon and 100 Acre Swamp Fish Surveys.
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| Wetland Care Australia launches new Online Donations Campaign
Wetland Care Australia is grateful for the generous support of GOpay® Pty Ltd in the development of this online facility that now allows our Australian and overseas supporters to donate securely and safely via our website. Now individual recreational fishers and fishing related business' can donate online to help support the ongoing program to restore the wetland habitats that create more healthy fish.
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| Billabong Bugs New Sponsors of WCA
Billabong Bugs, an Australian company owned and operated by John Bodman has agreed to donate 50 cents from the sale of every Billabong Bugs kit to WCA. Billabong Bugs are an Australian Native Crustacean called Triops australiensis. They occur nowhere else in the world, but there are different species of Triops in other countries (known commercially as "Sea Monkeys").
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| Wetland Care Australia Chairman's Annual Report
On review of last year's message, I paid significant attention to the potential problems facing our company and wetlands in general with changes to natural resource management brought about by the Australian Government.
The progress of the year though has seen many of these problems addressed and WetlandCare Australia well positioned to contribute its significant abilities to the rehabilitation of Australian wetlands. Of particular note has been the decision of the Board to concentrate its work in three key areas to deliver these on ground works.
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| Wetland Care Australia Fish Unlimited Project Updates:
> Cane farmer trials Fish Unlimited wetland stewardship
> Farmers save wetlands from over drainage
> Land Councils help wetlands
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| Wetland Care Australia Fish Unlimited Fundraising Dinner was a great success on 30th October, 2004 - Byron Bay
Fins Restaurant at Byron Bay, Award Winning Chef, Steven Snow and Coldstream Hills Wines hosted Wetland Care Australia's Fundraising Dinner on October 30th and successfully help to raise funds to support WCA's Fish Unlimited project in 2005.
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| An Update on WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR's program to assess and prioritise Northern Rivers wetlands
WetlandCare Australia's Wetland Assessment & Prioritisation project produced a range of products to engage landholders in wetland rehabilitation and guide local government, state agencies & the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA) in where to invest in wetland rehabilitation and protection. Priority wetland registers, wetland health mapping and individual site summary reports, produced throughout the project, connect landholders with funding sources provided through community groups, non-government organisations, local government, NRCMA and state agencies.
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| Shorebirds to benefit from successful forum in Yamba
WetlandCare Australia recently coordinated a successful Shorebird forum in Yamba, northern NSW. The forum was part of a national Shorebird project being management by WWF, involving 10 key sites around Australia.The Yamba forum, attended by 50 community members, focused on identifying key habitat and threats to shorebirds, both resident and migratory, in the Clarence River area. It also considered the findings and recommendations of a Clarence Estuary issues paper developed for WWF by Sandpiper Environmental.
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| Fencing Incentives to Promote Private Wetland Rehabilitation
The primary focus of the project is to promote and direct landholders to the various options for funding and management assistance for aquatic ecosystems on private land that are available through other blueprint actions and the NHT interim bid.So far, 10 sites have been assessed on the Clarence floodplain ranging from Grafton to Yamba. These assessments have identified the need for fencing and planting riparian vegetation at all the sites.
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| Wetland Care Australia Fish Unlimited Project
Sunday, 19 September 2004
The Fish Unlimited project has been underway in the northern rivers region for approximately 10 months. This project aims to protect and repair fish habitat, particularly our wetland 'fish nurseries'. The single biggest factor influencing the number of fish, prawns and crabs in our rivers and coastal zone is the number and quality of nursery habitats available to juveniles. Identifying, protecting and restoring fish habitat on private land is essential if we are to sustain the recreational and commercial fishing values of the Tweed, Brunswick and Richmond regions.
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| Wetland Care Australia Fish Unlimited Fundraising Seafood Dinner - 30th October, 2004 - Byron Bay
Sunday, 19 September 2004
Fins Seafood Restaurant at Byron Bay will host Wetland Care Australia's Fundraising dinner, 7pm on October 30th, to raise funds to support WCA's Fish Unlimited project into 2005.
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| An Update on WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR's program to assess and prioritise Northern Rivers wetlands
Sunday, 19 September 2004
The NRCMA Wetland Assessment and Prioritisation project is now into its final stages.
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| Update - Restoration Strategy for Belongil-Cumbebin Wetland
Sunday, 19 September 2004
Update on significant developments in the Belongil Wetland Restoration Project following our 'Think-Tank' held on 22 July.
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| Update - Use of grazing as a wetland and riparian management tool on Burdekin Dry Tropics Coastal Floodplains
Sunday, 19 September 2004
This Wetland Care Australia Project aims to assess existing and trial grazing regimes to develop published guidelines for the use of grazing as an environmental management tool for exotic pasture weeds in riparian and wetland areas in the lower Burdekin. The Project receives funding support from QDPI Burdekin Rangelands Reef Initiative &The Burdekin Dry Tropics Board.
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| Darawakh Creek and Frogalla Swamp Wetland Management Plan
Sunday, 19 September 2004
Wetland Care Australia was commissioned by Great Lakes Council to prepare the Darawakh Creek and Frogalla Swamp Wetland Management Plan in August 2003. The aim was to redesign the drainage area to reduce acid flows that was occurring as a result of past agricultural drainage works carried out in the 1960"s.
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| Wetland Care Australia Welcomes New Fish Unlimited Project Officer
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Abigail Foley (BSc Hons DipEd) has recently joined Wetland Care Australia as the new Fish Unlimited Project Officer. She was previously employed as an Aquatic Ecologist with the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment in Tasmania. She takes over from Jo Green who is furthering her studies. Abby has been very busy familiarising herself with the Fish Unlimited project and the local region.
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| Wetland Care Australia Fish Unlimited Fundraising Seafood Dinner
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Wetland Care Australia are planning to hold a Seafood Dinner Fundraising Event at Fins Seafood Restaurant, Byron Bay on October 30th, 2004, to raise more funds for repair works and stewardship payments; and to raise the profile of Wetland Care Australia and the Fish Unlimited Program Partners.
(read more)
| An Update on WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR's program to assess and prioritise Northern Rivers wetlands
Thursday, July 22, 2004
WetlandCare Australia in partnership with DIPNR are undertaking a twelve month study of the Northern Rivers wetland complexes of Bungawalbin, Cudgen, Cobaki, Belongil/Cumbebin, Tuckean and Newrybar.
(read more)
| Use of Grazing as a Wetland and Riparian Management Tool on Burdekin Dry Tropics Coastal Floodplains
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The Burdekin grazing project is continuing to unearth new findings regarding the merits and cost of grazing as a riparian management tool in the tropical savanna riparian and wetland systems of the Burdekin Floodplain and delta.
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| New Funding Approved for Fencing Cowans Creek
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Recreational Fishing Trust Funding has been approved for a site in the Grafton area on Cowans Creek. The creek is an access point to the river from Cowans Ponds which is a gazetted wetland area and a fresh water bird refuge in drought times.
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| Works have commenced at Sponsors Lagoon, Fingal Head
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Fish Unlimited, is WetlandCare Australia's key on-ground project repairing mangrove and saltmarsh in Sponsors Lagoon, a tidal wetland near Fingal in the Lower Tweed Estuary.
Fish Unlimited is an innovative partnership managed by WCA, and includes the NSW Fisheries Department, Tweed Shire Council and in the case of Sponsors Lagoon, the Tweed Byron Aboriginal Land Council.
Projects like the one being undertaken at Fingal aim to enhance the long-term health and abundance of fish stocks in the Northern Rivers. This will be achieved through rehabilitation of estuarine wetland habitats, the nursery grounds for most of our commercially and recreationally important fish and crustacean species.
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| WetlandCare Australia and Richmond River Mullet Fishermen partner to restore vital wetland fish habitat
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
A new partnership between WetlandCare Australia and the Richmond River Mullet Fishermen will restore vital wetland fish habitat. The agreement reached will see the fishermen donate 10 cents per kilo from the proceeds of the 2004 Mullet Fishing Season to the "Fish Unlimited" project.
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| Fish Unlimited Project receives Envirofunds for repair works
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Fish Unlimited Project Officer, Jo Green is happy to announce that the Evans River and Bora Creek Projects have both been granted Envirofunds for on-ground wetland repair works.
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| Aquatic Ecosystems Fencing Incentives Project
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
WetlandCare Australia has employed Project Officer, Katrina Williams to carry out a new project of 'Aquatic Ecosystems Fencing Incentives' in the Clarence area. The project aims to promote and encourage fencing of creeks, drains, rivers and wetland areas to preserve and/or enhance aquatic habitat.
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| Successful Funding Bid for Aquatic Ecosystems Fencing Incentives Project.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
This project at a small but very significant site on the Palmers Island flood mitigation drain has been successful in receiving funds from Envirofund.
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| WetlandCare Australia Announces New Board Member
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
WetlandCare Australia has announced the appointment of Greg Baker, CEO of Rapid Map Global Pty Ltd to its Board.
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| An Update on WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR's program to assess and prioritise Northern Rivers wetlands
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
WetlandCare Australia in partnership with DIPNR are undertaking a twelve month study of the Northern Rivers wetland complexes of Bungawalbin, Cudgen, Cobaki, Belongil/Cumbebin, Tuckean and Newrybar.
The project is the first stage of WetlandCare Australia's ongoing campaign to protect and repair vulnerable wetland areas and will assist the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority in fulfilling its 10-year catchment blueprint by examining closely the role of these ecological hotspots in its natural resource management planning.
(read more)
| Use of grazing as a wetland and riparian management tool on Burdekin Dry Tropics Coastal Floodplains
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
This Wetland Care Australia Project aims to assess existing and trial grazing regimes to develop published guidelines for the use of grazing as an environmental management tool for exotic pasture weeds in riparian and wetland areas in the lower Burdekin. The Project receives funding support from QDPI Burdekin Rangelands Reef Initiative and The Burdekin Dry Tropics Board.
(read more)
| World Wetlands Day –Bunyip Swamp (Katrina Williams)
Thursday, February 26, 2004
A World Wetlands Day was held at Bunyp Swamp on the 2nd February. We had a turn up of around 20 people made up of landholders, Birdos, the Clarence Valley Watch Group and some people interested in wetlands from as far as Mullum.
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| Wetland Communications Research Report is now completed
Thursday, February 26, 2004
The research shows what information landowners are seeking.
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| Launch of Information Bulletins - (Megan Westlake)
Thursday, February 26, 2004
A series of brochures undertaken as part of FFFX is now complete.
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| Wetland Care Australia and World Wetlands Day 2004 at Belongil Wetlands, Byron Bay
Thursday, February 12, 2004
The Belongil Wetlands were the focus of World Wetlands Day 2004 in Byron Bay. World Wetlands Day was chosen to premiere the film: 'Belongil Catchment Rehabilitation Project Glided Tour', presented by Byron Shire Council and Southern Cross University.
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| WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR announces joint project to study vulnerable Northern Rivers wetland areas
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
WetlandCare Australia and DIPNR are undertaking an intensive study of the wetland complexes in Bungawalbin, Cudgen, Cobaki, Belongil/Cumbebin, Tuckean and Newrybar.
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| Wetland Care Australia – Chairman’s Report for 2003 - Highlights
Monday, December 15, 2003
This last year has seen significant change in natural resource management in Australia, so it’s not unexpected that WetlandCare Australia (WCA) has had to change too.
The response of our organisation to the issues of 2002/2003 has resulted in this past year being one of constructive development, strongly positioning WCA as a professional, future oriented organisation with an unmatched track record in Australian wetland repair. This year, WCA undertook a comprehensive review of its operations.
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| Wetland Care Australia’s recent Queensland Regional Forum
Monday, December 15, 2003
The "Wetlands to the Reef" Forum was presented by Wetland Care Australia 10 November 2003. The venue was the new Arcadian Surf Life Saving Club on the Strand, Townsville, with wonderful views over the Rockpool to Magnetic Island. The Forum brought together researchers, scientists, administrators, landholders and volunteers to share the latest information on wetlands.
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| Researching the wetland community’s communication needs
Monday, December 15, 2003
The purpose of the review was to enable WCA to provide readibly accessable and effective communication regarding living with, and the repair of, wetlands. The review also highlight the key wetland management challenges facing the wetland stakeholders including (private) wetland landowners, the wetland scientific community and local government agencies.
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| Darawakh Wetland Project off to a Flying Start
Monday, December 15, 2003
The 'Darawakh Wetland Rehabilitation Management Plan' commissioned by Great Lakes Council at Forster NSW, has moved into the action stage even before the ink has dried.
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| World Wetlands Day 2003 - Gurra Gurra Wetland Project Complete
Thursday, October 09, 2003
WetlandCare Australia marked World Wetland Day this year with the completion of the Gurra Gurra Wetlands Project, in the South Australian Riverland, where a team of 22 Origin Energy volunteers worked stabilising creek banks and planting beds around the information bay site.
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| Water for Wetlands - Water for Life!
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Water for Wetlands - Water for Life is the theme of WetlandCare Australia's program to enhance the understanding of water related issues during the 2003 United Nations International Year of Fresh Water.
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| Fish Unlimited Wetland Repair Project
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Wetland Care Australia's latest major project, Fish Unlimited, will repair 130 hectares of fish habitat along the Northern NSW coastline.
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| Researching the wetland community's communication needs
Thursday, October 09, 2003
WetlandCare Australia has commissioned respected Australian market research firm, Iconyx, to conduct a comprehensive review of the wetland community's communication needs.
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Wetlands in the News
Update from the Water Research Laboratory (UNSW)
The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) at the University of New South Wales, in coordination with Shoalhaven City Council and the University of Wollongong, recently restored tidal flushing to five (5) low-lying tidal wetlands. The wetlands, which were severely affected by acid sulfate soils, were fitted with SmartGate Environmental Control Units that permit tidal flushing based on real-time water levels. The SmartGate systems, designed and installed by Dr William Glamore, permit tidal flushing which improves water quality and allows fish passage, yet restricts overtopping of tidal waters onto adjacent paddocks.
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| Terrible truth about the disappearing birds
Richard Kingsford recalls surveying Australia by air in the 1980s for waterbirds, flying over flocks of ducks, swans and pelicans so thick they were like clouds below the Cessna.But nearly a quarter of a century since the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service embarked on its annual waterbird count, Dr Kingsford has discovered a terrible truth: the birds are disappearing.Dr Kingsford, principal research scientist with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, said they had not gone elsewhere. They were dead.
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| Saving a wetland
One thousand hectares of mostly private property lying between Taree, Tuncurry and Black Head have been earmarked for long-range rehabilitation, aimed at preventing acid-sulphate runoff entering Wallis Lake and impacting on valuable oyster production, fishing and tourism industries.
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| Catchment Rebounds To Win National Award
Sunday, 19 September 2004
The Integrated Wallis Lake Catchment Management Program, NSW has won the 2004 National Thiess Riverprize, signalling a tremendous achievement for the catchment twice impacted through Hepatitis A outbreaks.
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| Macquarie Marshes Gain New Friends
Sunday, 19 September 2004
University of Newcastle has started a committed student group to draw attention to the Macquarie Marshes and the current problems facing it.
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| NSW Scientific Committee - Final Determination on Saltmarsh
Sunday, 19 September 2004
The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the Coastal Saltmarsh in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions, as an "endangered ecological community".
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| CSIRO Water Flagship Launched
Sunday, 19 September 2004
CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship has been officially launched. The Flagship will combine the resources of CSIRO, other research agencies including various universities and Cooperative Research Centres, government, industries and local communities.
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| Murray starts to open up for native fish
Sunday, 19 September 2004
ABC News Online article describing how the installation of fish ladders that will help native fish travel freely along the length of the Murray.
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| Environmental Concern Steadily Decreasing
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The percentage of Australian adults concerned about environmental issues has steadily decreased over the past decade, with only 8 per cent of them having registered their concern in a public way in 2001.
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| Future of Grafton Ag Station and Key Environmental Assets in Doubt
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The possible sale of the Grafton Agricultural Research Station could threaten the future of two key environmental assets in the Clarence valley, which happen to be located on the stations property. The dry rainforest remnant and the Bunyip Swamp Wetland.
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| The Australian Freshwater Protected Area Resource Book
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The policy background, role and importance of protected areas for Australian inland aquatic ecosystems. March 2004. Mr. Jon Nevill and Dr. Ngaire Phillips - Editors for the Australian Society for Limnology - Representative Freshwater Reserves Working Group.
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| Professional Development Environmental Training Greening Australia - Victoria
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Three key upcoming events on the training calendar not only for those with a professional interest in the environment - of value to landholders and managers/caretakers, council/government staff or NRM practitioners
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| Update Report on "Achieving sustainable production in backswamps workshop" held on 19th March 2003
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
During March a jointly organised workshop by NSW Agriculture, WetlandCare Australia and the Bungawalbyn Catchment Management Group was held to raise awareness of sustainability issues concerned with grazing in coastal backswamps.
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| About World Environment Day 2004
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
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| Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Workshop puts urban mangroves under the spotlight
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Florida's history of managing the demands of urban development with the environmental needs of mangroves is a valuable case study for Queensland whose increasing coastal population growth is placing further pressures on marine plant communities.
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| New Publications Available
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
"Living on the Riverbank"
"Restoring the Balance: Guidelines for Managing Floodgates and Drainage Systems on Coastal Floodplains"
"Acid Sulfate Soil Scalds: How They Occur and Best Management Practices for their Revegetation"
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| The late Barrier Reef
Friday, February 27, 2004
The World Wide Fund for Nature and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) commissioned "The Implications of Climate Change for Australia's Great Barrier Reef" and much of the money was put up by the federal and Queensland governments. After two years and a forensic review by specialists covering a broad range of fields, the 350-page report on the Great Barrier Reef is to be released worldwide today.
(read more)
| NSW Govt tightens up coastal protection policy
Friday, February 27, 2004
A loophole in the NSW Government's coastal protection policy has been closed and developers of large residential subdivisions will no longer be able to avoid stringent scrutiny
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| The Coastal CRC launches Toolbox for Community Groups
Friday, February 27, 2004
The Citizen Science Toolbox (www.coastal.crc.org.au/toolbox/index.asp ) is a free online resource of principles and strategies to enhance meaningful stakeholder involvement in decision-making.
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| From the Ramsar Forum: The Ramsar Sites Database is now online!
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Wetlands International manages and develops the Ramsar Sites Database under contract to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat. We are very pleased to announce that the Ramsar Sites Database is now fully accessible through the internet! Via this new information tool, we hope to reach as many interested people as possible and to provide useful data to the public for designated wetlands around the globe in order to promote their conservation.
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| Green concerns rising, survey shows
Monday, February 16, 2004
People rate the environment's importance higher than leisure time or work in their list of personal values, a 10-year-long survey has found.
The study of attitudes to the environment, which the Department of Environment and Conservation will release today, found NSW adults had an increasingly sophisticated knowledge of environmental issues. And they were willing to pay to fix problems such as water shortages, the loss of native plants and poor urban planning.
(read more)
| Restoring the Balance - guidelines for managing floodgates and drainage systems on coastal floodplains
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
The guidelines are written for people who actively manage coastal floodplain drainage systems, including local government authorities, landholders, drainage unions, industry groups and community groups.
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| Government announces the signing of an initiative to manage and protect the important Murray River wetland at Banrock Station in South Australia.
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Environment and Heritage Minister Dr David Kemp has celebrated World Wetlands Day 2004 with the announcement of $350 000 from the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust for wetland research and management and the signing of an initiative to manage and protect the important Murray River wetland at Banrock Station in South Australia.
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| Wetlands Help-line web site needs help
Monday, December 15, 2003
Bill Phillips established the Wetlands Help-line website (www.wetlandshelp-line.com) as a community service to provide an easy entry point to information about wetlands, their management, the Convention on Wetlands’ (Ramsar) various tools, and the Ramsar sites of the Oceania region.
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| Fishing bans to preserve Reef
Monday, December 15, 2003
Fishing will be banned on one-third of the Great Barrier Reef within six months under a controversial Howard Government plan to ensure the future sustainability of the marine park.
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| Investing in Responsible Business
Monday, December 15, 2003
A new survey published by CSR Europe, Deloitte and Euronext has revealed that social and environmental performance is on course to become a significant aspect of mainstream investment decisions within the next three years.
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| Wetlands RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands in Crisis
Monday, December 15, 2003
Australia's involvement in the RAMSAR International Convention on Wetlands is in crisis, with at least one private Ramsar landholder now threatening to quit the process.
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| Historic First Step Taken on River Murray
Monday, December 15, 2003
An historic first step towards restoring the iconic Murray River to environmental health has been taken today, with the announcement of a program to restore flows and upgrade local environments along the river.
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| Hot Water Topics from CSIRO
Thursday, October 09, 2003
With drought, dust storms and bushfires sounding a wake-up call about the real value of water in this dry continent, Australians have a special interest in the World Water Day message this year. CSIRO Land and Water scientists are helping Australia to meet its water challenge.
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| Australian ecologist receives award from International Society of Wetland Scientists
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Respected Australian wetland ecologist Dr David Mitchell, Charles Sturt University, was awarded the 2003 International Fellow Award from the International Society of Wetland Scientists in May. Dr Mitchell received the award for his lifetime's contribution to the science and management of wetlands, worldwide.
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| Weedbuster Week focuses on Wetlands
Thursday, October 09, 2003
The Irrigation Association of Australia is celebrating its 21st anniversary next year, by aptly theming their 7th biennial conference "Coming of Age". The conference will be held in Adelaide from 11-13 May 2004.
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| Irrigation Australia 2004 - Call for Papers
Thursday, October 09, 2003
The Irrigation Association of Australia is celebrating its 21st anniversary next year, by aptly theming their 7th biennial conference "Coming of Age". The conference will be held in Adelaide from 11-13 May 2004.
(read more)
| Australian Junior Water Prize - Phytoremediation of Salinised Soils
Thursday, October 09, 2003
North Sydney Boys' High School Year 12 student, Andrew McLeod, recently won the 2003 Australian Junior Water Prize. Andrew's achievements were recognised for his investigation into the use of salt tolerant plants to improve (ameliorate) salinised soils.
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