Project Background
The western catchment of NSW contains a wide range of wetlands. Many of these wetlands are under threat from total grazing pressure, water abstraction and cropping. This CMA project aims to identify and develop cooperative activities between the CMA and landholders to enhance locally important wetlands, considering the importance of spending public funding money in areas where both the environment and community will get a sound return.
What are we looking for?
The project has two major components:
- identify wetlands that stakeholders consider important; and assess wetlands so we can rank them for future funding in terms of their current and potential environmental values.
- Assessment of cultural values (both Indigenous and European) of wetlands.
What is a wetland?
A wetland is an area where flooding determines the type and productivity of the soil, the plants and the animals (NSW Wetland Policy, 2000). For this project we have included discrete and chains of wetlands, ephemeral systems, basins, billabongs, distributary channels, but not artesian mound springs, rivers, creeks and floodplains as these are addressed in other projects.
What information do we collect?
The information we collect helps us assess the environmental values of the wetland -relative to the other wetlands in the catchment. The information includes potential values based on the criteria in the table below:
Potential value |
Criteria |
Flood frequency |
Number of months/decade |
Flood duration |
Number of months the wetland remains inundated following a significant flood |
Wetland area |
Hectares |
Connectivity |
Distance to nearest wetland or waterway |
Habitat |
Mix of wetland-open water, shoreline with overhanging trees, areas of lignum, cane grass, fallen trees, etc. |
Wildlife abundance |
Estimated number of waterfowl during flood times |
Archaeological and natural heritage |
Provides a ‘sense of place’ to the local community (both Indigenous and European) |
The project also recognises that wetlands are a valuable source of stock feed during drought.
What do we do with the information?
Each category is given a score depending on the extent to which the wetland meets each criterion. Threats to the wetland values are then assessed and scored. Potential to successfully address the threats are also assessed. The results are then used to adjust the wetland rank on the basis of initial rank score, the current threats and the potential benefits of reducing the threat.
The ranking will assist the WCMA in setting priorities for funding of wetland management activities in cooperation with individual landholders. The extent of funding will be determined by negotiation with landholders.
Project outcomes
- An inventory of wetlands of regional value that includes those of national importance
- Identification for the wetlands of
- Why they are valued by landholders
- What are their threats and opportunities
- Resource requirement estimates to maintain/enhance them
- Chance of success
- Prioritisation list for funding and protection
An open invitation …
Every landholder in the catchment who would like their wetland assessed for possible incentive funding for management is invited to participate in this important project. The contacts are shown below. (Peter and Sue will be visiting wetlands in the catchment in October 2006, so feel free to contact either of them). Alternatively contact your local CMA office.
