WetlandsWetlands AustraliaAustralia NATIONAL WETLANDS UPDATE 2010 - Issue No. 18 NATIONAL WETLANDS UPDATE 2011 - Issue No. 19 ANNUAL UPDATE FOR AUSTRALIA’S WETLAND COMMUNITY ANNUAL UPDATE FOR AUSTRALIA’S WETLAND COMMUNITY Contents Minister’s Foreword 1 Australia and the Fortieth Anniversary of the Ramsar Convention 2 Protecting Wetlands in Plantation Forests 4 Panboola: Enriching People’s Lives 5 Connection to Country and the Rivers Environmental Restoration Program 6 Talking Pictures – Representing Queensland Wetlands in Conceptual Models 7 Carbon – The Building Block of Life – Helping South Australia’s Lower Lakes to Recover 9 Returning Reedy Lagoon to a Wetland 11 Mapping Wetlands of the South Coast, New South Wales 12 New South Wales Red Gums to be Watered by Flooding Project 13 Paperbark-Dominated Wetlands: Extensive, Valuable and Neglected? 14 The Endangered Southern Bell Frog (and Friends) Benefit from a Drink in the Lower Murray-Darling 16 Continental-Scale Assessment of Australia’s Rocky and Coral Reef Biodiversity 17 Pollack Swamp – A Hidden Beauty 18 Indigenous Communities Monitor their Special River Places in the North 19 China and Australia Cooperate to Develop Wetland Management Policy and Guidelines 20 Commonwealth Environmental Watering in the Murray-Darling Basin 22 A Call for Action: Addressing Development Impacts in Ramsar Wetlands and Declared Fish Habitat Areas 24 Upper Murrumbidgee Floodplains – A Reduction in Resilience 25 MangroveWatch Burnett Mary Region is One Year Old! Outcomes and Lessons Learned 26 Working Together to Monitor Seagrass in Queenslands Ramsar Sites 28 Testing and Applying the Index of Wetland Condition in Victoria 30 Hunter Wetlands Centre Celebrates 25 Years 31 Grazing and Coastal Wetlands: Managing Grazing for Production and Coastal Wetland Health 33 Adaptation Options for Wetlands and Water Management: Where Do We Begin? 35 Protecting Populations of Murray Hardyhead in Lake Alexandrina, South Australia 37 Wetland Tender Program Success Story in Western Victoria 38 Processes that Link Aquatic Habitats Across the Landscape 40 Wetlands on Farms is a Winner for Long-Term Sustainability 41 Wetlandmaps – Making Wetlands Information Available to Everyone 42 Making the Connection to a Healthy Corner Inlet 44 ‘Last Piece of the Jigsaw’: Regulations in Place to Protect Wetlands and Reef 45 Enhancing the Lower Lachlan Wetlands 47 WetlandCare Australia – Celebrating 20 Years Working Toward the Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands 48 Climate Change and Management Options for Sphagnum Bogs and Fens in the Act 49 The Ramsar Managers’ Network: Helping Wetlands for the Future 51 Tom Thumb Lagoon 52 Shorebirds 2020 National Population Monitoring Program 53 Coolibah-blackbox woodland. Photo: N. Penny (SEWPaC) Produced by the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities ISSN 1446-4853 Editorial, design and project management: Ideas & Directions Cover photos: Yellow Water Lagoon Kakadu National Park (DSEWPAC). Murray hardyhead (Michael Hammer). Acid sulfate soil - Finniss River (Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ CLLMM Program). Cape York NRM region Flatback Turtle hatchling makes it to the sea (DSEWPAC). Green Tree Frog, Kakadu National Park (Robert Thorn). Kennedia prostrata, Becher Point Wetlands, WA (Bronwyn Goody). Grasstree, Becher Point Wetlands, WA (Bronwyn Goody). Back cover photos: Aerial view towards Gantheaume Point Geographic (Angus MacGregor). Pink Anemonefish (DSEWPaC). Close up of flowers on Coral Gum (John Baker). Close up of flowering Acacia sp. WA (Michael Marriott). Lathams snipe (Brian Furby). Blue-Green Algae on Lake Burley Griffin (Bruce Gray). Endangered species Growling Grass Frog, Southern Bell Frog (Alexander Dudley). Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. MINISTER’S FOREWORD Forests play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle and as a consequence, in the health of our wetland ecosystems. Forested wetlands include habitats such as mangroves, nipah swamps, freshwater swamp forests, floodplains, forested peatlands and seasonally flooded forests. An example of a forested wetland in Australia is Barmah- Millewa Forest on the Murray River. Farmers, Indigenous communities, and other private land managers manage approximately 77 per cent of Australia’s land area, including many wetlands. Conservation Australia’s wetlands number in the many thousands. of biodiversity on private land is recognised by the There are 64 Ramsar listed wetlands (covering around Australian Government as an important way to protect 8.1 million hectares) and over 900 nationally important Australia’s environmental assets. Caring for our Country wetlands in Australia. These wetlands include coastal is an Australian Government initiative that supports estuaries, mudflats and saltmarshes, coral reefs, environmental management of our natural resources, floodplain lakes and billabongs, swamps and marshes, including the management of wetlands and forests through and alpine bogs and peatlands. the National Reserve System. The goal of Caring for our Country is to achieve an environment that is healthier, Wetlands are extremely rich in biodiversity with many better protected, well managed, resilient, and provides plants and animals being completely dependent on essential ecosystem services in a changing climate. these ecosystems. They also provide critical habitat for threatened species such as the northern corroborree frog Water for the Future is the Australian Government’s and Murray cod. Wetlands are important sites for migratory long-term initiative to better balance the water needs of species and many support large numbers of waterbirds communities, farmers and the environment. Australia is (more than 20 000), using wetland habitats for critical facing major challenges due to over-allocation, climate stages of their life-cycle, such as feeding and roosting. change, climate variability and reduced water availability. Water acquired under Water for the Future is already Our wetlands are of enormous value to the Australian benefiting several wetlands across the Murray-Darling community, as they deliver important ecosystem services. Basin through allocations of environmental water. Wetlands from our coasts to our river systems enhance Regional communities will also benefit from more efficient water quality, mitigate floods, and protect our shores from irrigation infrastructure funded through Water for the wave action. They also support wildlife breeding habitats, Future programs. provide refuge for wildlife in dry seasons, and are crucial for sustaining grazing after floods have receded. It is The stories told in this edition reveal the considerable critical that we use these environmental assets wisely so work undertaken across the country to protect and they can continue to provide services to biodiversity, our restore our wetlands. A number of these articles describe economy and our communities’ quality of life. work underway to increase our understanding of wetlands. There are also stories describing co-operative This edition of Wetlands Australia aligns with the theme arrangements that include the community and Indigenous for World Wetlands Day 2011 “wetlands and forests - peoples’ involvement in wetlands management and forests for water and wetlands”. This year is extra special demonstrate the importance of communities in decision- as it is the fortieth anniversary of the Ramsar Convention. making associated with wetlands. It also coincides with the United Nations designation of 2011 as the International Year of Forests. These stories acknowledge the relationship between wetlands and people, and the ways in which Australia’s Forests and wetlands are closely related. The health wetlands are used wisely. Wetlands are a critical part of of all forests in our catchments is linked to wetlands, our natural environment and research, conservation and whether forested or not. Australia protects its native sustainable management will help ensure the on-going forests by building reserves, integrating conservation conservation and wise use of our wetlands and the and sustainable use at the regional level, putting a value ecosystem services they support. on our natural environment and improving the use and quality of our natural resources. Across Australia, over The Hon Tony Burke MP 70 per cent of known old growth forests are in Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, conservation reserves. Population and Communities. 1 AUSTRALIA AND THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance • providing funds to support the conservation and holds the unique distinction of being the first modern treaty sustainable use of our Ramsar sites between nations aimed at conserving natural resources. The signing of the Convention on Wetlands took place • developing Ecological Character Descriptions for all in 1971 at the Iranian town of Ramsar. Since then, the Australian Ramsar sites Convention on Wetlands has been known as the Ramsar • participating in the Partnership for the Conservation of Convention. To mark the anniversary of the signing of the treaty, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February Migratory Waterbirds in