Fringing wetlands of the Gippsland Lakes provide a refuge for plant and animal species in times of drought. Many of the fringing wetlands are on private land – it’s extremely important that these are protected. Working with landowners to achieve this is part of this project.
Research conducted in this project will be used to identify and protect fringing wetlands on the Gippsland Lakes that are suitable to provide refuge for a multitude of key species during drought.
This project comes in two key parts…
Creating the Prioritisation Plan
Planning for the prioritisation plan has begun with the Arthur Rylah Institute and all existing data is being collated, including:
Demonstration Sites
Site one is a 100ha wetland at the junction of the Avon and Perry rivers and will be studied in partnership with the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.
This wetland had been drained, but that channel has been closed and the wetland is returning to its natural cycles. The wetland will now have fresher water and many more plants and animals will be able to thrive there. The removal of the channel has also led to a large reduction in the number of carp, which are very damaging to wetlands health.
Site two is a 36ha wetland near the mouth of the Tambo River, and will be studied in partnership with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. This wetland is also being reinstated after past drainage and will provide very fresh water to the surrounding wetlands.
Landholders with fringing wetlands on their property are being targeted at the moment to gain local knowledge from their direct observations.
There are plans to work with three properties that have collective wetlands of approximately 120ha in proximity to the Tambo River and Lake King. It is anticipated these areas will become wildlife hotspots.
This project is funded by the Victorian State Government for the Gippsland Lakes.