BBSW - Future Environmental Activities

Wetland Rehabilitation and Management

BBSW is an environmental asset in the MIA landscape.

In addition to its important irrigation role, the BBSW icon site provides:

  • feeding and breeding grounds for water and woodland birds, frogs, fish, bugs and reptiles
  • a place for water loving plants to thrive such as Nardoo, sedges, rushes and tree species such as Black Box
  • aquatic plants to clean and filter the nutrients in the water
  • significant sites for Aboriginal cultural heritage (food and tool source, shelter, a spiritual meeting place)
  • a recreational playground for bird watching, bushwalking, and artwork
  • a place for scientific research

To assist the wetland rehabilitation process at BBSW a Wetland Rehabilitation Management Plan will be developed and implemented. To guide this process MI has appointed a Steering Committee, Technical Reference Panel and Project Officer and will develop a management plan over the next two years.

Vision and Objectives

The interim vision of the project is to:
“Create an ecologically alive and diverse wetland that also respects, preserves and enhances the cultural significance of the area.”

Interim Objectives:

  1. To support the diversity of native plant species appropriate for wetland vegetation for the wet and dry phase
  2. To support a high diversity and abundance of native animal species including waterbirds, terrestrial birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish through appropriate habitat management
  3. To provide appropriate water regime of sufficient duration to stimulate the recruitment of plants and animals found in the wetland
  4. To maintain good water quality
  5. To protect and enhance the cultural landscape
  6. To improve community awareness of the importance of wetlands
  7. To manage pest plants and animals and maintain a good neighbour policy

Increasing the diversity of vegetation will provide improved habitat for native birds, amphibians and fish, as well as wetting and drying phases of sufficient duration to stimulate the recruitment of aquatic and terrestrial plants, vertebrates and invertebrates.

Pelicans at Barren Box (photography by David Kleinert)


Project Progress

Rehabilitating wetlands involves identifying the natural processes of the site and reducing the threats of invasive species such as weeds, carp, feral pigs and excess chemicals. Any works undertaken to improve the health of the wetland should be simple and introduced slowly so that minimum amount of disturbance occurs.

The process of Barren Box wetland rehabilitation has involved:

  • understanding the past and assessing the current conditions (what are the plants and animals in the wetland, how does the wetland change- day to day, season to season)
  • identifying the water requirements for the wetland plants and animals (in terms of timing, frequency and duration of inundation, where will the water go once released into the wetland)
  • identifying the sources and entry points of water
  • understanding the effect of fire on wetland seeds and egg banks

  
Corporate sponsorship has also been secured to assist with the rehabilitation of the wetland.   Westend Estate has released a ‘Snowy River' range of wines and part of the proceeds will go to the rehabilitation project and future management of the site.
Photos of Barren Box launch (11 Aug 2006), by Earthcraft Photography.

To assist the rehabilitation process we will also need to express what it is we want to achieve at the wetland.

  • What is it we like about the wetland?
  • What values do we want to protect and thrive at the wetland?
  • How do we see the wetland in the future?
  • How do we want to use the wetland in the future?

By providing answers to these questions it will provide the Barren Box wetland rehabilitation project with focus and direction.

 
MI Chairman, Dick Thompson, accompanies students from the St Therese Primary School, Yenda to BBSW.  

World Wetland Day – Griffith free community film night to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands in our landscape.

Once the Wetland Rehabilitation Management Plan is completed rehabilitation implementation activities may include:

  • protecting sensitive cultural heritage sites from disturbance and erosion,
  • revegetation with native plants,
  • installing firebreaks for the protection of the woodland and neighbouring properties,
  • control pest animals and plants,
  • installing fencing and walkways to limit disturbance of sites, and
  • monitoring of waterbird populations.

Click here for an aerial photo of BBSW in 2007 (pdf 544kb) showing fire damage (white area), as a result of lightning strike.

Cultural and Heritage Values

As a result of a number of archaeological investigations at BBSW, a significant number of Aboriginal archaeological sites and areas of potential have been identified.

It is highlighted that damage or disturbance to Aboriginal artefacts is a criminal offence under the National Parks & Wildlife Act and the loss to the wider community would be priceless.

During redevelopment of the site, spotters were involved in identifying sites and the collection of 50kgs of indigenous artefacts, including cutting blades, fireplace remnants and grinding dishes.

  

 

Sandstone Grindstones
Grinding stones like these were used in a variety of food preparations including Nardoo (Marsilea Drumondii), which still grows at Barren Box today.

Basalt Core (above) was used for producing flakes.

Modified tree (right) found on the north western side of Barren Box Swamp - the bark was cut out and probably used for a Coolaman (carry dish).
     
Smart Weed (Persicaria Lapathihfolia) found at Barren Box - the crushed seeds were used as fish stunner. Hearth and artefact found on the eastern side of Barren Box - clay balls were used to retain heat in the ovens. Stephen Johnson, Damien Kennedy and Michael Johnson - excavating a test pit on the Barren Box outlet channel.

Murrumbidgee Irrigation, the Griffith Aboriginal Community and Griffith Land Aboriginal Land Council (GLALC) are committed to the long term protection and conservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage at Barren Box. To assist in managing and protecting the cultural heritage values, a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) has been developed and includes a process for the ongoing management of recorded Aboriginal archaeological sites and areas of identified Aboriginal archaeological potential.

The plan will be a 'live document' and will be regularly reviewed and updated to include ongoing community management, consultation, training and employment opportunities.

Pest Plant and Animal Control

Feral animals cause serious agriculture and environmental damage to BBSW and surrounding areas. Murrumbidgee Irrigation is undertaking a program to control numbers at the site to reduce these negative impacts.

Murrumbidgee Irrigation has also implemented an eradication programs to control weeds at BBSW in particular Alligator Weed (DPI identification brochure). Alligator weed is a Weed of National Significance (WONS) and grows in a wide range of habitats from floating aquatic to dry land and climates cool to tropical. The weed is an aggressive invader and can easily spread by vehicles coming into contact with the plant, especially in wet conditions.

Alligator Weed has the following serious impacts:

  • Restrict water flow in creeks, channels and drains
  • Impede access (recreation)
  • Damage pumping and irrigation equipment
  • Reduce water quality by preventing light penetration and reducing oxygenation of water
  • Create a favourable habitat for mosquitoes
  • Reduce water bird and fish activity
  • Make swimming dangerous
  • Cause death and reduction of fish and native plants
  • Costly and difficult to control
  • Competitive with species on land

Due to its competitive dominance in agricultural and water systems it is a very serious threat to the MIA. Provisions of a wash down bay have also been installed for vehicles driving off road at Barren Box.