Wetlands Australia National Wetlands Update 2012
Issue No. 20, February 2012
ISSN 1446-4843
Namoi's endangered wetlands, NSW
Anna Cronin, Namoi Catchment Management Authority
Passing through the spectacular landscape at the far east of the Namoi catchment in northern NSW, you may catch glimpses of sunlight on water and the deep greens of moss and macrophytes. These small signs indicate the presence of elusive natural wetlands – highly concentrated pockets of biodiversity in the fertile grazing country of the Great Dividing Range.
The Upland Wetlands of the Namoi catchment are part of the EPBC listed Upland Wetlands of the New England Tablelands and the Monaro Plateau. These wetlands are usually groundwater fed, and can be near permanent or highly ephemeral. The mosaic of habitats provided by this variability allows Upland Wetlands to support a wide range of flora and fauna, including local and migratory endangered species.
The Namoi Catchment Management Authority has been working in partnership with landholders over the past three years to conserve and rehabilitate some of these beautiful wetlands with the support of the Australian Government's Caring for Our Country program.
Conservation works have included addressing the key threatening processes of stock impacts, invasive species, draining and damming. To date, water quality and vegetation health has been improved on 135 hectares of wetland and buffer areas. The value of this work has been highlighted by ecologic monitoring of project sites, which has revealed possible new species, and has already recorded increased diversity of plant and animal species.
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Upland wetlands in the Namoi are often shallow
(Anna Cronin)
Upland wetland in the Namoi
(Anna Cronin)
