Aquatic ecosystems

The Koorangie Marshes are part of the Kerang Wetlands Ramsar site that is culturally significant to the Barapa Barapa people. Prolonged waterlogging and rising salinity, which resulted in the death of River Red Gum and Eumong canopies, had historically impacted almost half of the Koorangie marshes. In partnership with the Barapa Barapa peoples the regeneration [...]

Urban creeks in the City of Onkaparinga hold some of the last remnants of bushland within the city as well as containing valuable public recreational space. The ‘Creek Heroes’ project informed and activated the community to care for the creeks by crafting clever ‘heroes and bullies’, listening to the residents and providing opportunities to experience [...]

The Popes Glen Bushcare Group set up a vegetation trial to determine what plants would survive in the harsh conditions of the weed infested silt flat. Armed with a successful species list, funding was sought and thousands of plants planted. Bird surveys have informed the revegetation process with bird habitat thickets unintentionally created from weed [...]

Ziggy Marzinelli shares the world of underwater kelp forest recovery. A 70km aquatic restoration project was designed to reinstate Sydney’s Phyllospora comosa - Crayweed forests, a valuable recreational fishing asset as well as a key component of the kelp forest underwater ecosystem. Ziggy’s project successfully reintroduced the missing ecosystem component. In doing so he reinstated [...]

A concise case study outlining an offset transformation of a highly degraded saltmarsh community at Kurnell. Careful planning and extensive community education is helping to address years of degradation from vehicles and timber getting Unrestricted access to the site was curtailed by fencing. The community has been engaged around the benefits of food chain health [...]

This is an inspiring presentation that showcases a variety of strategies that were used to improve aquatic habitat. Approaches undertaken ranged from mechanical bank shaping to altering mowing practices, resnagging with whole trees to purpose built fish hotels. The detailed monitoring and commitment to community engagement has meant that the upward trajectory for in-stream restoration will continue beyond the funded project.

Just add water...Three wetland restoration case studies are presented by Mark Bachmann which outline the historical basis for the degradation, the process of identifying viable project sites and the setting of goals to deliver significant wetland restoration. Mark references the Six Principles in the National Restoration Standards to highlight their relevance in designing, monitoring and [...]