Yarram Yarram Landcare Network

Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project
Yarram Yarram Landcare Network (YYLN), through the Corner Inlet Connections (CIC) partnership, has worked closely with landowners to protect and enhance high priority areas of coastal vegetation (saltmarsh & mangrove communities) adjoining the RAMSAR Listed Wetlands of Corner Inlet (CI) and Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park.
Since 2009, YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project has protected over 700 ha of saltmarsh on freehold land between Port Albert and Reeves Beach. Twelve project sites have been fenced off to exclude stock, revegetated with 35,000 locally indigenous tubestock and highly invasive weeds infestations removed.

The YYLN Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project was initiated in close partnership with the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) and Coastcare. Funding for this project was through a series of grants from both the Australian (e.g.Caring for Our Country and National Landcare Program) and Victorian State Governments (e.g. Regional Growth Fund).

This landscape scale project has enabled the local community to work collaboratively to create an ecological buffer zone between farmland and CI Ramsar Listed Wetlands.

The long term goal to provide a continuous biolink to protect the Nooramunga wetlands and improve water quality entering Corner Inlet is now becoming a reality.

In 2014, YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project won the Natural Environment Award in the Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellence run by the Victorian Coastal Council. Most recently, YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project was the winner of the Coastcare Award at the 2015 Victorian Landcare Awards and is now a finalist at the National Landcare Awards in September 2016.

In 2014, YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project won the Natural Environment Award in the Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellence run by the Victorian Coastal Council. Most recently, YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project was the winner of the Coastcare Award at the 2015 Victorian Landcare Awards and was also a finalist at the National Landcare Awards in September 2016.
Project achievements (2009 – 2015)

Outputs:
  • 740 ha of coastal vegetation fenced off and protected from stock
  • 25 km fencing erected, using “wildlife friendly” plain wire
  • Revegetation - 35,000 locally indigenous tubestock planted
  • 12 individual project sites
  • 10 landholders
  • 56 ha Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) treated and/or removed – eg. Gorse, Boxthorn, Spiny rush.
  • 10 stock crossings
  • 3 Field days  - Saltmarshes Uncovered
                                 - Jack & Albert Rivers Discovery Day at Port Albert
                                 - Discover Corner Inlet at Port Welshpool

YYLN Saltmarsh Project Motivation
  • Improve the condition of remnant coastal vegetation (saltmarsh, mangrove & coastal swamp scrub) on private farmland adjoining the Corner Inlet and Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Parks.
  • Protect and enhance coastal vegetation (saltmarsh/mangrove communities) within the CI Ramsar listed wetlands.
  • Protect and increase coastal habitat areas for endangered birds e.g. Orange-bellied Parrot and shorebirds e.g. Red-necked Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit and Eastern Curlew.
  • Encourage community willingness to value, protect & enhance coastal vegetation communities.

YYLN Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project Objectives
  • Protect and enhance high priority areas of coastal saltmarsh between Port Albert and Bruthen Creek, adjoining the Ramsar listed wetlands of Corner Inlet and Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park.
  • Reduce impacts of stock grazing on remnant coastal vegetation.
  • Fence off areas of coastal saltmarsh from stock for revegetation and natural rehabilitation; protect other Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC’s) in the immediate vicinity of coastal saltmarsh areas.
  • Corner Inlet Ramsar Site – Protect & enhance coastal habitat areas for feeding, roosting and breeding sites for migratory and resident shorebirds; protect & enhance Orange-bellied Parrot feeding sites.  
  • Reduce impacts of soil erosion, sedimentation and nutrient runoff into Corner Inlet & Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Parks.  
  • Control and remove Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) from high value coastal habitat eg. Gorse, Boxthorn & Spiny rush.  
  • Yarram Yarram Landcare Network (YYLN) has been responsible for project management, implementation and delivery of on-ground works. This includes: scoping project sites, landholder liaison & engagement, advertised Expression of Interest’s, site/vegetation assessments, mapping/spatial data and photo-points. 
  • Coastal saltmarsh protection on-ground works program initiated and implemented through devolved grants and in-kind contributions eg. Fencing, revegetation, stock crossings, invasive weed control eg. Gorse, Boxthorn & Spiny rush.  
  • Individual landholder management plans and works agreements.  
  • Ongoing landholder liaison & engagement with the YYLN Project Officer has meant all targeted landholders have come on board. Long term partnerships built with landholders was vital to the successful delivery of project.  
  • The use of contractors to undertake specialist on-ground works beyond the scope of landholders.  
  • Flexible timelines negotiated with landowners & contractors to allow for the delays caused by unpredictable inundations caused by high tides and/or flooding of project sites.
  • Revegetation challenges in highly saline areas - increased understanding of which plant species to grow, where to plant, what tubestock will survive and which plant species will naturally regenerate. This includes sourcing local seed to ensure the correct provenance of revegetation works.
  • Increased landholder willingness and understanding over the project duration of the importance of protecting saltmarsh areas in the “back paddock”.

Outcomes
  • Strong partnerships forged enabling successful delivery and the continuation of future work. Partners include: Corner Inlet Connections (CIC), WGCMA, Department of Environment & Land, Water & Planning (DELWP), Coastcare, Yarram Secondary College, Albert River Landcare Group, BirdLife Australia and members of the local farming and Landcare communities.  
  • Decreased sedimentation & nutrient runoff into the Corner Inlet/Nooramunga estuarine & marine ecosystems.  
  • Ecological buffer zone between farm land and CI Ramsar wetlands.

Project Officer - Samantha Monks
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