Long Swamp Restoration Trial update – October 2017

We’re currently busy putting the final touches on an evaluation report that summarises everything we’ve learned about Long Swamp since NGT first became involved with restoration planning and action for this magnificent wetland in Discovery Bay Coastal Park in 2012. Hopefully we’ll be able to share the finished product with you soon…

In the mean time, last week I had the pleasure of showing our partners in the current project, the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and DELWP, around the restoration trial site. This gave us a chance to see how the swamp is looking, talk about the evaluation report and what might come next to more permanently consolidate the outcomes of the trial.

Mark Bachmann discusses the Long Swamp Restoration Trial with staff from the GHCMA and DELWP. Photo courtesy of Bryce Morden, GHCMA.

The Glenelg Hopkins CMA shared a short overview of the visit on their facebook page – you can see their post by clicking here.

On the ground, things are looking absolutely magnificent after another excellent season of winter and spring rainfall along the coast.

To illustrate the ecological changes that are unfolding, here is one of our photopoints (situated near the point where flows from Nobles Rocks are being diverted downstream into the wetlands of Long Swamp) which shows the transition of vegetation communities associated with the trial. In this case, an area of the swamp that was being invaded by shrubs, is reverting to a more aquatic, sedge-dominated habitat – indicative of a new trend that is now being observed over a significant area of Long Swamp upstream of the trial structure.

The Nobles Rocks outflow gauge board – 19th May 2015, as wetland levels were rising in response to the Phase 3 structure.

The Nobles Rocks outflow gauge board – 2nd September 2015, with the full inundation impact of the Phase 3 structure evident.

The Nobles Rocks outflow gauge board – 14th October 2017, with invading shrubs being displaced and the vegetation community showing a positive trajectory of change, in response to the trial.