Wetland issues
Issues affecting the health and long-term future of wetlands include:
- Clearing and draining of aquatic wetlands for expanding development activities
- Cumulative impacts of changes to water flows and drainage in river catchments
- Poor management of irrigation water allowing the rise of saline groundwater
- Loss of groundwater replenishment capacity
- Excessive use of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides in catchments; their loss to wetlands and potential cumulative impacts on wetland ecosystems
- Impacts of inappropriate recreational activities (boating, crabbing, fishing, off-road vehicles) on vegetation and the physical environment
- Spread of introduced plant (weed) species and poor management of excess native surface water plants
- Predation on native animal species by feral animals
- Use of wetlands for green waste and rubbish dumping
Specific marine and coastal issues affecting the future of wetland and mangrove environments include:
- Clearing of native vegetation and draining of wetlands (especially mangroves and Melaleuca) for expanding development activities, particularly coastal developments and agriculture
- Disregard of recreational and commercial fishing regulations
- Poor quality water entering the coastal and marine environment from storm water and waste water discharge
- Engineering works that interfere with tidal flow e.g. levees and dams
- Spread of exotic marine species
- Oil and chemical spills
What You Can Do To Help Improve Water Quality
Urban Environments
- Be waterwise-use less water
- Clean up after your dog. Put it in a bag, and bin it
- Never dispose of chemicals, paint, thinners or oil down the sink, or into drains or waterways
- Use fertilisers in moderation if you must use them at all (Cuts down on phosphates, nitrates, etc in our waterways)
- Avoid over-watering gardens and lawns
- Compost and recycle as much as you can
- Use fewer plastics. Reuse and recycle plastics
- Choose 'green products'
- Ensure roof gutters and downpipes are connected to stormwater drains, not to sewers
- Wash the car on a grassed area using a bucket of water rather than the hose
- Fix oil and petrol leaks, and dispose of the oil properly
- Use a bike rather than the car
- When fishing collect bait bags, unwanted line and other waste, and bin them
- Stow it, don't throw it. Sort wastes on board and bin or recycle them on shore.
Rural Environments
- Control stock access to wetlands and waterways
- Protect native plants, particularly in riparian and wetland environments
- Re-vegetate riparian and wetland areas using appropriate native species
- Use targeted chemical application rates
- Avoid over-irrigating crops, particularly during wet weather
- Control weeds, including excessive native surface water plants
- Restore degraded wetlands and construct wetlands for wildlife habitats
- Facilitate fish movement by removing or modifying submerged man-made structures that may act as fish barriers
- Maintain or reinstate natural drainage lines
- Develop integrated drainage networks to enhance natural waterway capacity
- Maintain undeveloped natural flow paths for floodwaters.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority n.d., reefED, , accessed 20 August 2014, <http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/teaching/primary_units/exploring_local_wetlands
