Putta Bucca Wetlands: Conservation gains from industrial wastelands

Where?

2km from town centre, on the edge of town

What is ‘Putta Bucca Wetlands’? A patch of land owned by Mid-Western Regional Council and managed for the purpose of biodiversity conservation and public recreation. The result of two converging land uses:

Mudgee’s An exhausted former Sewage aggregates Treatment quarry Works Former Industrial now Remaining Industrial Conservation Reserve

Former Industrial now Conservation Reserve Adjoining the ... Although artificial, Putta Bucca Wetlands now functions as a permanent ‘Oxbow Lake’ (Billabong)... Although artificial, Putta Bucca Wetlands now functions as a permanent ‘Oxbow Lake’ (Billabong)... Putta Bucca Wetlands is a Regional Biodiversity Hotspot

 extremely high levels of vertebrate biodiversity despite its small area (approximately 31 hectares)

160 bird species

Photo by Mark Leary

6 reptile species

Photo by Mark Leary 5 native mammal species

Photo by Mark Leary 4 frog species

Photo by Kurtis Lindsay over 100 native plants 3 Commonwealth Protected Migratory Species (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)

Mark Leary The Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola

• One bird appeared at the wetlands in September 2014.

• Was the 3rd EVER record of the bird on Aussie soil

• Over 200 bird watchers from all over came to see it.

• Only breeds in tundra of North-central Asia (China, Mongolia, Russia). Usually only migrates as far as southern India for non-breeding season Photo by Mark Leary

12 Threatened Bird Species

Photo by Thomas Watts

Photo by Thomas Watts Photo by Mark leary Threatened Birds of Putta Bucca Wetlands

1. Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 2. Painted Honeyeater (Grantiella picta) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 3. Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanoleucos) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 4. Diamond Firetail (Stagnopleura guttata) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 5. Flame Robin (Petroica phoenica) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 6. Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 7. Little Eagle (Circus assimilis) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 8. Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 9. Magpie Goose (Anseranas semiplamata) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 10. White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) – Vulnerable Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 11. Latham’s Snipe – Migratory, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 12. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper – Migratory, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Painted Honeyeater (Grantiella picta) Status: Vulnerable under commonwealth and state legislation

Photo by Thomas Watts Painted Honeyeater (Grantiella picta) Status: Vulnerable under commonwealth and state legislation

Photo by Thomas Watts White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) Status: Vulnerable under state legislation

Photos by Mark Leary Photos by Mark Leary White-bellied Sea Eagle provide ecosystem services

Mary Plage/Bruce Coleman Ltd

Fishes of Australia Inland White-bellied Sea Eagle pairs consume eat at least 100 fish per breeding season (Debus 2016)

Photo by Mark Leary

(that’s around 100 kg of carp!) Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

Status: Vulnerable under state legislation

Photo by Mark Leary Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

Photo by Mark Leary

…disappeared from south-east Australia by 1920 due to drainage and overgrazing of reed swamps used for breeding. Since the 1980s there have been an increasing number of records in central and northern NSW. Vagrants can follow food sources to south-eastern NSW. Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus) Status: Vulnerable under state legislation Photo by Mark Leary Restoring habitat for the Brown Treecreeper

Photo by Mark Leary Restoring habitat for the Brown Treecreeper at Putta Bucca Restoring habitat for the Brown Treecreeper Restoring habitat for the Brown Treecreeper Zone 1 Stock pile woody debris here

Excavator spread woody debris through here prior to ripping and tree planting Recent woody habitat usage…

Photos by Mark Leary The Value of Volunteers Volunteers = Local Stewards ‘The Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’

+ Local Community Members

who assist… What do the ‘Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’ do?

Assist council in managing their land, sharing their load What do the ‘Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’ do?

Assist council in managing their land, sharing their load What do the ‘Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’ do? Provide a free information service for the community What do the ‘Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’ do? Design and Construct…. What do the ‘Friends of Putta Bucca Wetlands’ do? Restore native vegetation Box-Gum Woodland CEEC Restoration Location of Box Gum Woodland Restoration Well researched and funded Before tree planting:

During tree planting:

During tree planting:

How it may look in 20 years On-going Management Issues On-going Management Issues Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides) Status: Vulnerable under state legislation

Mark Leary

Thomas Watts Mark Leary Little Eagle formerly preyed upon native ground mammals

Photos by JJ Harrison

Nowadays, Little Eagle mostly prey upon rabbits. More Research is needed!

Rabbits are declared pests and we must control them

Photo: www.animalcontrol.com.au www.animalcontrol.com.au

It is a balancing act! On-going Management Issues

Wikipedia On-going Management Issues

Flickr: OZInOH Possibilities for the future? Further Box-Gum Woodland revegtetation Threatened Fauna Reintroductions?

Threatened Flora Translocations? END

Acknowledgements: John McRae, Mark Leary and Thomas Watts