NGT begin exploring restoration options for Fleurieu Peninsula Swamps

NGT begin exploring restoration options for Fleurieu Peninsula Swamps

Lachie captures a perspective over the southern portion of Glenshera Swamp

In mid-2015, NGT was engaged by Natural Resources – Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges (DEWNR) to undertake an assessment of the hydrological restoration options for Glenshera Swamp (Stipiturus Conservation Park) – one of the most important remnant Fleurieu Peninsula swamps (a nationally threatened ecological community). As well as the site manager (DEWNR), a lot of other individuals, researchers, community groups and organisations (especially CCSA) have invested serious effort over many years caring for this site and the species it protects (a process that continues today), so we’ve really appreciated the knowledge and generous spirit everyone has brought to our discussions with them over the past 8 months – this preliminary project simply wouldn’t have been possible without their help.

On-site meeting with flora experts on the 10th of September 2015.
Left to right: Tim Jury, NGT’s Lachlan Farrington, Clive and Claire Chesson, and Rick Davies. Out of image: NGT’s Mark Bachmann (photographer).

Like most wetlands across the agricultural regions of south-eastern Australia, our investigation found that Glenshera Swamp has experienced a long and complex period of change as a result of development since the 1940s. Despite the area being reserved since 2003, artificial drainage continues to threaten the current values of the swamp.

The main artificial drain (constructed in the 1940s) that bypasses the swamp, shown here carrying significant flows in September 2015.

A series of steps have now been identified for implementation to help address this legacy of the site’s agricultural past, with the first of those actions hopefully to commence over the coming months – so watch this space!

If you would like to learn more about the detail of the assessment and the next steps proposed under the restoration plan, you can download and read a copy of the report here: NGT – Restoration Options for Stipiturus CP.

You can also attend a talk I will be giving about the report next week in Adelaide, called:

Developing hydrological restoration options for Glenshera Swamp, Stipiturus Conservation Park

at the SA NRM Science Conference, on Wednesday the 13th April at 3:35pm in the Flentje Theatre, at the University of Adelaide.

The talk is part of a wider session on “Water management in the Mt Lofty Ranges”.

I hope to see you there!

The front cover of the completed report

Mark Bachmann