Wetlands Australia 32: Logan City Council increases urban amphibian habitat through constructed wetlands

Authors: Kylie Drapala (Logan City Council) and Judith Vink (University of Queensland)

Wetlands can be purposefully designed and constructed with the intent to reduce pollution and increase biodiversity.

A four year old constructed wetland has become habitat for at least five species of frogs in the Logan City Council Slacks Creek catchment, Queensland. Two of these species had not previously been recorded in the area, including the internationally listed Near Threatened tusked frog (Adelotus brevis).

In 2015, as part of the Slacks Creek Recovery program, Logan City Council constructed a wetland in an open green space at Shailer Pioneer Park. The wetland design includes riffle zones and shallow open water basins with a densely planted macrophyte zone. The mix of shallow and deep marsh species provides habitat and supports effective wetland function along a tributary of Slacks Creek.

Logan City Council partnered with researchers and community volunteers in 2017 to undertake frog surveys at the Shailer Pioneer Park wetland and three natural wetlands located up and down stream. Surveys occurred over two months and included visual and call methods to determine species presence and diversity.

Surveys revealed that diversity of frog species at the constructed wetland was similar to that of the natural wetlands surveyed nearby. In total, five species were found at the Shailer Pioneer Park wetland including the tusked frog (Adelotus brevis) and the great barred frog (Mixophyes faciolatus) which had never previously been documented in the local area.

Surveys at the upstream and downstream natural wetlands revealed seven and four species respectively indicating the constructed wetland was encouraging a mix of both upstream and downstream species. The findings are a start in understanding frog species preference and habitat colonisation.

With global frog numbers on the decline, the results of this study are a positive indication that constructed wetlands can provide important frog habitat and conservation opportunities. Logan City Council found a high diversity of frog species in the constructed wetland, demonstrating that constructed wetlands can deliver improvements to biodiversity as well as water treatment and flood mitigation. The research also provided community education on the frog species of their suburban ‘backyard’.

Shailer Pioneer Park Wetlands and Tusked frog. Photo: S. Wilson

Further information

Contact Logan City Council's Environment Team: environment@logan.qld.gov.au

Time lapse video of the wetland construction: Shailer Pioneer Park Time-lapse