Workshop sparks interest in wetland restoration in Tasmania

NGT hosted our inaugural Tasmanian wetland restoration workshop on Wednesday 4^th May 2022, supported by NRM South, with funding provided via the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. The workshop was attended by thirty-four people, including five NGT staff, and representatives from Tasmanian NRM organisations, the Derwent Estuary Program, Derwent Catchment Group, Tasmanian Land Conservancy and supporters, the national Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, University of Tasmania, Landcare Tasmania, and Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, as well as forestry, parks, water authorities and environmental consultants.

The workshop commenced with an overview of NGT and our multi-faceted, investigative approach to landscape planning and wetland restoration, followed by case study presentations and discussion surrounding our recent work at Moulting Lagoon on the east coast of Tasmania (The Grange/Long Point and Apsley Marshes). Four breakout rooms were hosted by NGT staff and provided an opportunity for more detailed discussion in smaller groups about restoration approaches, experiences, and future opportunities.

Key themes that emerged from the in-depth discussions included:

• The importance of focussing on long-term outcomes and the short-term disturbances required to achieve them.
• The potential for wetland restoration to buffer against impacts of climate change.
• The importance of monitoring sites post-restoration works, to track vegetation recovery, trends and management needs.
• Challenges with restoration projects on private land (i.e. protection versus productivity, ongoing commitments).
• Setting appropriate restoration goals and understanding a site’s restoration potential.
• Acknowledgement of the complexity of working with competing values at some restoration sites (e.g. threatened species, heritage, etc).

If you missed it, and would like to learn more, the introductory 1 hour seminar session of the workshop can be viewed below:

Following on from this workshop, NGT, in collaboration with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, will be hosting a:

Field Day at Long Point and The Grange – revised date Tuesday 31^st May 2022, 1 – 4 pm.

If you wish to attend, please RSVP to Cath Dickson, as soon as possible. The field day will provide an opportunity for workshop attendees (and other interested folk) to see the first year of Moulting Lagoon restoration works soon their completion.

Overall, the workshop was well received by attendees and a flurry of interest has been sparked since. We look forward to following up on key discussions with interested parties and potentially being part of scoping and resourcing Tasmania’s next generation of wetland restoration activities!

This important work is supported by NRM South, with funding provided via the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.