Habitat Linkages: Bellevue Estate

Local Government Taking Action to Protect Ecosystems 2016/17 Central Tablelands Local Land Services Incentive Funding Yellow-billed Spoonbill & Black-winged Stilt Restoration of Detention Basins to Provide Habitat Linkages ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Habitat Linkages: Bellevue Estate Mid-Western Regional Council There are three detention basins events and release the captured Urbanisation along White Circle in Bellevue stormwater to downstream Ever expanding urban areas mean Estate, Mudgee, as well as an receiving waters in a more that natural waterways are often additional basin off Rifle Range controlled manner. negatively altered having impacts Road which are all part of a Detention basins are primarily on water quality and habitat major catchment feeding into the designed as a flood mitigation tool values. Stormwater typically Cudgegong River. and typically remain as dry, grassed travels at high velocities and These detention basins are barren basins outside of rain events. By collects pollutants from roads, grassed landscapes that currently collecting and slowing the flow of roofs and other hard surfaces. provide little to no amenity value stormwater, these basins act to or environmental benefit. This direct water to creeks and rivers at project will result in planting of the a slower, more natural rate thereby detention basins and associated minimising erosion and flooding of drainage reserves with native waterways. vegetation to create valuable Improving Habitat habitat and linkages for native fauna. As well as planting these existing detention basins with native Plant species will include those vegetation, wetland areas will be known to be critical habitat for a Habitat Creation constructed within the base of the number of threatened bird species By utilising existing detention detention basins. This will help to including the Regent Honeyeater basins and drainage reserves, further slow water flows, remove and Glossy Black Cockatoo which often disect urban areas, contaminants and capture water amongst others. habitat linkages can be created. during smaller rainfall events. What is a Detention Basin? Constructed wetlands capture and Additionally, these wetlands will treat stormwater while providing Detention basins are engineered provide valuable migratory bird important foraging habitat for a structures designed to capture habitat by facilitating open water range of wetland species. stormwater during rainfall connections. Habitat Linkages: Bellevue Estate Mid-Western Regional Council The project sites, consisting of the uptake of excess nutrients by Urbanisation and agricultural drainage reserves and detention specialised wetland vegetation production has resulted in many basins, are located 1.5km south - sedges and rushes - known as wetlands being drained to enable of Putta Bucca Wetlands. Putta macrophytes. construction, grazing or cropping Bucca has been proven to attract with negative effects on many of Wetlands also provide critical threatened and migratory birds our native fauna species. habitat for a range of fauna species to the area as well as to provide a and particularly birds. Species Projects such as this one that refuge for these species. such as the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, create urban wetlands are not only Additionally, a very large dam Australian Painted Snipe and valuable for wildlife, but also as an is located 400m north-east of Black-winged Stilt have adapted educational tool to allow residents the project sites, in between specialised beaks for foraging in to appreciate the biodiversity values the detention basins and Putta these environments. of these complex systems. Bucca. This dam is a large open water body with very little fringing vegetation. It is envisaged that this project will provide important connectivity between these sites as well as shallow water foraging areas for wetland dependent bird species. The Value of Wetlands Wetlands are often referred to as the ‘kidneys’ of a catchment as they act to filter contaminants out of water systems. This is achieved by slowing water flows which allows for sediments to drop out of Australian Painted Snipe - Male suspension, as well as to facilitate Local Government Taking Action to Protect Ecosystems The Central Tablelands Local Land issues. Services incentive funding supports This will be achieved by targeting land managers and communities funding towards Member Councils working together to build resilient of the Environment & Waterways communities in productive healthy Alliance that can demonstrate landscapes. appropriate planning, project The Local Government Taking management and community Action to Protect Ecosystems engagement skills . project aims to assist Councils ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS More Information throughout the Central Tablelands This project is provided by Central Brooke Kirkman to protect and enhance our natural environment through the Tablelands Local Land Services Project Support Officer through funding from the Australian Environment & Waterways Alliance delivery of projects that exhibit Government’s National Landcare best management practice and E [email protected] Programme and Catchment Action innovative solutions to existing P 02 6850 1619 M 0428 148 461 NSW.

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