Anew project has received $17m in government funding to improve shorebird and wetland habitats across South Australia’s Coorong, Lower Lakes, Murray Mouth and South East landscape.
The Federal Government is working with the Australian Greens and the South Australian Government on the project.
Located at the base of the Murray River, the region is home to internationally recognised wetland that supports a diverse range of plants and animals including the endangered Australasian bittern and the vulnerable sharp-tailed sandpiper.
The Federal and State governments will work together to deliver the project, building on habitat restoration activities already under way in the region.
The funding will deliver a range of localised infrastructure on wetland and floodplain flats to increase the area and duration of quality shorebird and wetland habitat.
It will also maintain food webs and improve critical breeding habitat for foraging waterbirds and other threatened species, as well as improving outcomes for waterbirds and strengthening Australia’s commitment to international obligations including the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.
The South Australian Department for Environment and Water will work closely with relevant community groups, landholders and Landscape Boards to develop a regional approach to habitat restoration targeting smaller wetlands that cumulatively have a large impact and create a connected mosaic of habitats across the region.
The integrated project will also work with First Nations groups to connect to Country and meet cultural obligations while ensuring the survival of healthy shorebird populations and vital wetland habitat.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said restoring the Murray Mouth, Lower Lakes and Coorong was a critical investment in the health of the whole system.
“The Murray-Darling Basin is a vital for our communities, farmers and First Nations groups, and we must also work together to protect and restore wetlands within the Basin,” she said.
“This new project will ensure the survival of our internationally significant wetlands and the plants and animals who call them home.”
South Australian Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Susan Close said the Coorong, Lower Lakes, Murray Mouth and South East regions were areas of incredible biodiversity in South Australia.
“A number of important habitat restoration projects are already planned or well under way, and this new funding will add to the work being undertaken,” she said.
“It is vital that we help our wetland environments to thrive so they can remain strong into the future for the important wildlife that relies on them.”
