Central Coast Council is powering ahead with improvements to the Tuggerah Lakes after receiving $4.7M from the Federal Government in 2020 to implement a three-year Estuary and Catchment Ecological Health Project as part of its management of the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary.
“So far, this funding has supplemented Council funds to help us rehabilitate a total of 99.2Ha of wetlands, 19.26Ha of streambank, 45.84Ha of Saltmarsh, 1.09Ha of Swamp Oak Forest and 1.81Ha of Coastal Dunes,” a council spokesperson said.
“That equals a massive 312 football fields worth of environmental land that has been restored so far.
“Actions carried out included weed control, planting and remediation of disturbed land and access control to try to prevent vandalism.
“By rehabilitating important natural filter environments such as wetlands and saltmarsh we improve ecological condition and ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, erosion control, carbon sequestration, habitat provision range and connectivity, air and water quality and stability, flood control, pollination and climate regulation.”
Council is also upgrading some existing stormwater devices to improve the treatment of approximately 35.63Ha of stormwater runoff from urban catchments.
“Council is working in partnership with technical experts, consultants and industry leaders to ensure the highest standards of ecological outcomes are delivered for the environment, estuary and community – contributing to a healthier and more vibrant estuary we can all enjoy, long into the future,” the spokesperson said.
Source:
Media release, Oct 26
Central Coast Council