Creeks & wetlands
Introduction
Riparian zones are the areas adjacent to creeks, rivers, lakes and wetlands, including banks and floodplains, which exert a direct influence on the water and aquatic ecosystems. Riparian zones support high plant and animal biodiversity. They are also important areas for maintaining water quality in waterways and protecting banks from erosion. Riparian vegetation provides natural wildlife corridors up and down waterways from gullies and creeks at catchment headwaters through to major rivers and coastal estuaries.Riparian vegetation plays an important role in catchment health and water quality, as well as providing benefits at the property level. Landholders who have retained riparian vegetation have avoided the problems of bank erosion, sediment and nutrient runoff, reduction in water quality and weed invasion along waterways.
Many landholders are moving to re-establish natural drainage flows, revegetate riparian zones and create or manage wetlands and lagoons to improve water quality, combat erosion and shade out weeds. In the process, they are turning unproductive areas into productive land, with improvements in water quality and wildlife habitat to boot.
Wetland
North Yancho is a wool growing property about 30km southwest of Bollon, in southwestern Queensland. Owners Kerry and Camilla Cowley and their children are deeply interested in the wildlife of their home and are looking at ways of finding a balance between production and nature conservation.Using Greening Australia funding, the Cowleys are fencing off some areas of retained woodland and a freshwater lagoon. This will allow them to better manage these areas to retain their natural values.
In addition, nearly 500ha of coolibah floodplain will be managed as a nature refuge called 'Little River Paddock'. The conservation agreement allows for sustainable grazing, while protecting a wetland type of great conservation value. A fauna survey by QPWS Officers found four mammals, 92 birds (including Major Mitchell cockatoos and brolgas), 15 reptiles and 11 frogs. The local indigenous Gungurri people will also have access to the area for cultural purposes.
Banana farm
Marc and Santina Jackson turned an environmental disaster on their banana farm into a productive area with an anglers paradise and habitat for wildlife to boot.A boggy 12a block that was choked with para grass and weeds and was a maintenance burden has been transformed by recreating original creek flows complete with revegetated riparian zones and an artificial lagoon. This has allowed a new area to come under production, as well as provide environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and habitat for wildlife.
An artificial lagoon was also excavated to trap sediments and filter chemicals. The soil reclaimed in digging out the lagoon allowed fill to build up surrounding land which is now productive for bananas. The lagoon now supports a variety of fish and bird life.
The revegetation along creeks shades out weeds and contributes to good water quality into the lagoon and waterways. The other sections of creek that were never cleared are already virtually weed free.
Dairy farm
The Fairley - Fitzsimmons dairy farm is located on the Evelyn tablelands in north Qld. These 2 families have worked in extraordinary partnership over the past 15years in establishing an extremely successful dairy business whilst enhancing their farms natural values and biodiversity. The property is 160ha in extremely high rainfall area which borders World Heritage rainforest. Joining a Futureprofit group helped the farm team to recognise their strengths of their dairy enterprise and the options for better production in their part of the region which has a set of limiting conditions.All of their farm management systems take the conservation of natural resources and their long term sustainability into account. Some of their management practices are:
- effluent flushed efficiently into holding dams;
- cows fed intensively in feed lot as an option not to clear the remaining 80acres of rainforest for pasture;
- laneways are cemented so that eroson doesn't occur on steep slopes;
- bridges have been built across creeks to preventing erosion and muddying of water;
- clumps of trees planted for shade in paddocks;
- small patches of remnant native vegetation are fenced off from cows; and
- corridors connecting rainforest patches interweave along creeks.
Mango farm
The Schincariol Family farm at Dimbulah is 78ha and supports tobacco and mango production. It is nestled up against the pinnacles and is clearly obvious as having many patches of native vegetation both surrounding it and forming a pathway through the farm. The Schincariol philosophy of farming is about quality not quantity and it is in this way that they make all the decisions on their farm. Participating in the Futureprofit process allowed the Schincariol family to formalise their vision and goals for enhancing the natural environment which surrounds their farm.Some of the practices they are employing are:
- conserving strategic patches of wildlife habitat, including a swampy wetland area;
- rehabilitating creekside riparian vegetation using their own propagated native plant species;
- replanting existing fragmented lines of vegetation which double as windbreaks; and
- repairing soil erosion problems.
Last updated: 28 November 2003
