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Recent experiences in conservation planning and practical implementation in Victoria. Reservation of important wetlands. James Fitzsimons 1,2 & Hugh Robertson 1,3 1 School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University 2 The Nature Conservancy 3 NZ Department of Conservation. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Reservation of important wetlandsReservation of important wetlands
James Fitzsimons1,2 & Hugh Robertson1,3
1 School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University2 The Nature Conservancy
3 NZ Department of Conservation
Recent experiences in conservation Recent experiences in conservation planning and practical implementation planning and practical implementation
in Victoriain Victoria
OverviewOverview
• Process for assessing conservation status, reserve design and Process for assessing conservation status, reserve design and level of protection of wetlandslevel of protection of wetlands
• Changes in wetland reservation in northern VictoriaChanges in wetland reservation in northern Victoria
• Challenges to establishing freshwater protected areasChallenges to establishing freshwater protected areas
• Policy dilemmas, decisions and debatesPolicy dilemmas, decisions and debates
Freshwater Reserves
• National and State commitments to the ‘Establishment of a Comprehensive, Adequate & Representative (CAR) reserve system’
• Recent reviews suggest Australia lacks an representative freshwater reserve system
• Little quantitative analysis on the reservation of freshwater ecosystems
Objectives
• Investigate whether there are biases in the reservation of different types of wetlands
• Investigate whether there are biases in the types of reserves applied to wetlands
• Evaluate the influence of wetland reserve design on the conservation of freshwater ecosystems
• Compare these reservation variables, before and after a strategic public land use assessment
VEAC River Red Gum study area
VEAC River Red Gum study area
Melbourne.
River Red Gum Forests Investigation
• Area of River Red Gum Forests investigation = 1,220,000 ha
• Wetland area prior to European settlement = 145,000 ha
• Extant wetland area = 99,700 ha
• Current wetland area in Reserves = 27,300 ha
• Recommended area in Reserves = 47,000 ha
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
Freshw ater meadow Shallow freshw atermarsh
Deep freshw atermarsh
Permanent openfreshw ater
Semi-permanent saline Permanent saline
Wetland type
Are
a (
ha
)
Pre-1750 wetland
Extant wetland
Wetlands in current reserves
Wetlands in recommended reserves
Depletion and reservation of different wetland types in northern Victoria
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
Freshw ater meadow Shallow freshw atermarsh
Deep freshw atermarsh
Permanent openfreshw ater
Semi-permanent saline Permanent saline
Wetland type
Are
a (
ha
)
Pre-1750 wetland
Extant wetland
Wetlands in current reserves
Wetlands in recommended reserves
Depletion and reservation of different wetland types in northern Victoria
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
Freshw ater meadow Shallow freshw atermarsh
Deep freshw atermarsh
Permanent openfreshw ater
Semi-permanent saline Permanent saline
Wetland type
Are
a (
ha
)
Pre-1750 wetland
Extant wetland
Wetlands in current reserves
Wetlands in recommended reserves
Depletion and reservation of different wetland types in northern Victoria
Reservation of Important Wetlands- Ramsar and Directory
• DIWA and Ramsar
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
Ramsar Directory Impt Wetlands Aust
Are
a (
ha
)
Current
Proposed
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
National Park &State Park
Other 'ParksAct' Park
NatureConservation
Reserve
NaturalFeaturesReserve
Murray RiverReserve
Wildlife Reserve(Hunting)
Lake Reserve Regional Park State ForestSPZ
Reserve type
Are
a (h
a)
Existing
Recommended
Protected area Other reserve
Area of wetlands occurring in various reserve categories in northern Victoria
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
National Park &State Park
Other 'ParksAct' Park
NatureConservation
Reserve
NaturalFeaturesReserve
Murray RiverReserve
Wildlife Reserve(Hunting)
Lake Reserve Regional Park State ForestSPZ
Reserve type
Are
a (h
a)
Existing
Recommended
Protected area Other reserve
Area of wetlands occurring in various reserve categories in northern Victoria
Lake Muirhead
Mount William Swamp
Lake Muirhead
Mount William Swamp
Lake Muirhead
Mount William Swamp
Wetland reserve design in northern Victoria
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1-19% 20-39% 40-59% 60-79% 80-99% 100%
Percent of individual wetland reserved
% o
f to
tal
wet
lan
ds
rese
rved
current
recommended
• Achieving a balance between conservation, recreation and resource use
• Anticipating impacts of climate change
• Anticipating future water availability and infrastructure to deliver environmental water to wetlands
• Recommendations for public land only
• Considered Victoria only
• Only recommendations! - VEAC has had a high success rate in the past (~95% recommendations accepted) but nothing guaranteed
• Government response may offer clues on current thinking – publicly available soon
Challenges for freshwater reservation Challenges for freshwater reservation in northern Victoriain northern Victoria
Policy debates required
What activities or levels of consumptive use are acceptable in freshwater protected areas?
• Duck hunting?• Fishing?• Water extraction?
• Or are these debates irrelevant without water?
