Water Kit - Hunter Water

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1.10 landcare and waterways What is Landcare? Landcare is an Australian environmental movement based on groups of volunteers who work in their local area and ‘adopt’ a site to restore or maintain. Some Landcare groups conduct education programs but most work is hands-on work for the environment. Landcare and waterways Many Landcare projects near waterways typically involve revegetation, weeding, erosion control, water quality testing, litter control and habitat creation for native wildlife. The benefits of Landcare for our waterways are: Environmental • Revegetation of riverbanks and wetlands increases biodiversity and reduces erosion, which stabilises the soil and improves soil and water quality • Building mounds and swales can redirect runoff and slow water flow, thereby reducing erosion • Reducing weeds and litter improves the health and amenity of the local area • Conducting water quality monitoring contributes to water quality databases eg Waterwatch to help us understand our local waterways and how we can manage them better Social • School students and community members gain practical skills and knowledge through being involved in Landcare and Waterwatch • People working together on local environmental problems generates community spirit Economic • Increasing the value of the land by restoring productivity and improving its amenity • Improved health of estuaries and wetlands help to maintain the breeding of fish and prawns which is an income source for the Lower Hunter Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010 Partnerships and cooperation In recent years all levels of government have begun to understand the contribution that Landcare groups make to local communities and environments. Many Landcare groups contribute skills and time towards a local project, while government agencies contribute financial support. People are often attracted to Landcare because projects are in the area that they live and they can see the direct benefits of caring for their local area. Landcare involves people from many different backgrounds working together. This cooperation means that resources can go further and more can be achieved. organisations that support Landcare in the Hunter Hunter Water Hunter Water has worked in partnership with Landcare groups in the Lower Hunter region for many years. Support is available to Landcare groups through an annual sponsorship program that funds on-ground works to revegetate and rehabilitate degraded land and waterways. Hunter Water also works directly with the Hunter Region Landcare Network to provide small grants to Landcare groups in its area of operations. Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority The CMA is working to build links with community groups, business, industry and government throughout the region, ensuring that all interests and concerns are considered and that the responsibility for action is shared. The CMA’s project officers and Community Support officers provide direct assistance to landcare and community groups who help manage the region’s natural resources. Hunter Water works directly with the CMA on catchment management activities in the Lower Hunter. Local councils Local councils are an important source of technical information and materials for environmental projects. Councils have a specific interest in their local areas and are often a first point of contact for Landcare groups setting up new projects. Many Councils have established grant programs to support landcare groups to tackle local environmental issues. Local schools Schools can form their own Landcare group or work cooperatively with a Landcare group from their community. For instance, Metford Public School formed their Landcare group in 1996. This group works with community members and are stewards of their local wetland – Melaleuca Ponds. Teachers and students regularly carry out water quality monitoring, litter removal, revegetation, and raise awareness in their local community about the importance of the ponds and working together to keep them clean. Holy Family Primary School Landcare group has established an on-site native plant nursery and supplies plants to other Landcare groups in their local area. Teachers and students have worked over several years to install a number of rainwater tanks that feed into an artificially created wetland on the school grounds. Landcare Actions in the Hunter There are more than 300 landcare groups throughout the Hunter with a total membership of nearly 10,000 people. These groups work on many different projects - here is a sample of activities you may be involved in if you join a Landcare group. Earthcare Park East Maitland The Earthcare Park and Education Centre Landcare group has been working on the rehabilitation of degraded bushland and a portion of Tenambit Wetland since 1996. Their site activities began with removing cattle and then by conducting a series of environmental investigations of the sites flora, fauna, soils, archaeology and hydrology. The results helped to highlight the issues that needed attention. A plan of action was developed and funds raised to carry out rehabilitation and education. Monitoring and evaluation keeps track of the group’s outcomes. About 500 hours of volunteer 24
labour is invested on the site annually and over 5000 native plants have been established onsite to improve water quality, habitat and biodiversity. The group has also been involved in education initiatives, including workshops on sustainable land use, planning and design, permaculture, bushland regeneration, and local bushfoods. Warners Bay Landcare The Warners Bay Landcare Group was formed in 1999 with a mission to protect and improve the aquatic and terrestrial environments of the Warners Bay catchment through education and rehabilitation. A major project of the group has been the Warners Bay Riparian Zone Rehabilitation and Wildlife Corridor Extension. This project aims to improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat. The project has achieved some impressive outcomes within three years: • Established 51,239 native plants on three hectares • Controlled 4.25 hectares of weeds • Installed 0.83 kilometres of protective fencing • Re-introduced 5,000 native Bass to North and South Creeks and Lakelands Wetland Wollombi Landcare Most farmers know that willow branches will grow into trees if they are pushed deeply into the ground, but few people know that this technique will produce similar results if applied to natives. With the help of Wollombi Landcare Group, Bill Hicks has perfected a technique called longstem tubestock planting to restore and conserve river systems affected by degradation. Using native plants, the longstem tubestock system duplicates all the advantages offered by willows for streambank stabilisation. The plants not only have the ability to restore a degraded riparian environment, but also revive the native ecology. Landholders caring for our waterways Individual landholders can also care and protect our waterways. One of the main environmental issues being addressed by landholders in the Paterson-Allyn and Williams River catchments is how to better look after local creeks and rivers. Margaret and Gregan McMahon of East Seaham are landholders who are implementing a plan to look after the land that surrounds waterways on their property. By adopting rotational grazing and pasture management practices, they have made significant environmental improvements to their property in just a few years. Reduction in runoff from the farm has been dramatic. Before the improvements, even a few centimetres of rain would see the farm’s dams begin to fill as the soils absorption rate was quickly exceeded. Now barely any runoff reaches the dams. Practically all rain is absorbed by the deep, healthy topsoil that now exists, and this has provided for an abundance of pasture. The McMahon’s feel they will be well prepared to handle the next drought because they are now managing their property in the best way to handle Australia’s weather cycles. The improvements have also had an almost immediate benefit to their income, allowing the McMahon’s to increase the amount of cattle that can be sustainably carried on the property. Margaret and Gregan have also increased the forest cover on the property by allowing sections to naturally regenerate. These parts of the farm have not been removed from grazing production, but because parts have been selectively grazed, native plants have regenerated successfully. These sections were chosen from a wildlife habitat perspective, as they link the small existing strands of forest on the property to adjacent holdings. The works that are an excellent example of how landholders can carry out their own Landcare activities. It demonstrates that land can be managed in a way that is highly productive without impacting negatively on the environment. Other landholders in the district are now undertaking similar works to make the Paterson-Allyn and Williams River catchments a healthier place for all. Getting involved If you would like to find out more contact: Hunter Region Landcare Network Coordinator hrln@hunterlink.net.au Tel: 4955 0792 Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010 25
Page 1 and 2: Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010
Page 3 and 4: introduction to water supply WATER
Page 5 and 6: introduction WHY STUDY WATER? Water
Page 7 and 8: 1.1 the water cycle INTRODUCTION Mo
Page 9 and 10: BREAKING THE WATER CYCLE To supply
Page 11 and 12: Hunter Water’s area of operations
Page 13 and 14: Protecting and managing the catchme
Page 15 and 16: Water From The Mountains Chichester
Page 17 and 18: Rewarding Water Conservation A new
Page 19 and 20: Main infrastructure of Hunter Water
Page 21 and 22: 1.6 the managing groundwater supply
Page 23 and 24: Water Sharing Plan for the Tomago,
Page 25 and 26: Monitoring the Hunter catchment The
Page 27 and 28: Environmental Hunter Water: • Dev
Page 29: The Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) was
Page 33 and 34: influences on water supply in the h
Page 35 and 36: ainfall patterns and water supply w
Page 37 and 38: managing water supply sustainably w
Page 39 and 40: 1.8 Sustainability & Water Supply S
Page 41 and 42: Links with THE Syllabus Used collec
Page 43 and 44: Integrated Water Resource Plan The
Page 45 and 46: 2.2 being waterwise at home Our wat
Page 47 and 48: 2.3 being waterwise at school Water
Page 49 and 50: 2.4 school water audit Why DO A wat
Page 51 and 52: 2.6 think twice water saving campai
Page 53 and 54: design a water saving campaign work
Page 55 and 56: assessing water conservation scheme
Page 57 and 58: 8 Use wetlands to store stormwater
Page 59 and 60: water audits - a case study workshe
Page 61 and 62: desktop water audit worksheet 4 Ask
Page 63 and 64: asic water audit worksheet 5 Leakin
Page 65 and 66: environmental audit protocol worksh
Page 67 and 68: water conservation resource list 2.
Page 69 and 70: Links with THE Syllabus Used collec
Page 71 and 72: These controls specify the quality
Page 73 and 74: wwtw population communities daily v
Page 75 and 76: Grit Tank Inorganic grit material i
Page 77 and 78: 3.5 stormwater management What is s
Page 79 and 80: 3.6 managing stormwater with sqids
Page 81 and 82:
) Suggest strategies that might be
Page 83 and 84:
Does it transport rubbish down into
Page 85 and 86:
stormwater in your school worksheet
Page 87 and 88:
improving wastewater worksheet 4 2
Page 89 and 90:
support material This section conta
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International WEBSITES: Ecoschools
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LOWER HUNTER CENTRAL COAST REGIONAL
Page 95 and 96:
agency project focus amount contact
Page 97 and 98:
4.5 glossary Aerate To charge or tr
Page 99 and 100:
Shoreline outfall Disposal of treat
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Water Kit - Hunter Water

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