WETLAND CARE IN THE EUROBODALLA

The Eurobodalla on the south east coast of NSW is blessed with many wetlands, including some coastal floodplain swamps and lagoons that have high value as waterbird habitat and provide a drought refuge and important feeding areas and habitat for waterbirds.

The Coastwatchers Association has long been concerned about the need to protect these unique freshwater wetlands, some in the Eurobodalla already classified as endangered ecological communities, and we have long been aware of the need to update maps of wetlands in the Eurobodalla.

In view of these concerns, it was an opportune time for some of our members to attend a workshop in November, organised by Wetland Care Australia and designed to help local communities to protect and repair their local wetlands. The process involves a review of all wetlands and their classifications, using local knowledge and participation. Stage one is to produce useful maps for everyone to use.

Wetland Care will undertake the wetland health assessments and work has already been undertaken by The Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (SRCMA) to prioritise wetlands for conservation, protection and restoration.

Reed Swamp Lagoon at Long Beach north of Batemans Bay is a SEPP 14 Wetland and an EEC and was prioritised by SRMCA as their No 1 wetland requiring future investigation of its condition.  It has become degraded due to urban encroachment and weed infestation. It will now be assessed to see what is required for its improvement and rehabilitation.

The time frame for the review is April 2009 - June 2101 and will be funded by SCRMA through grants.

A DVD containing all project information will be made available to all interested parties at the end of the process. This will be an extremely useful tool for local communities and environmental groups such as the Coastwatchers Association

Reina Hill
Committee of Management