RCS

Collecting field data on local rivers

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Reef Catchments has been working with Australian Rivers Institute Geomorphologists collecting field data from areas of streambank failure along the O’Connell and Andromache Rivers as part of the Reducing Sediment Pollution in Queensland Project, which is being undertaken across three Queensland Catchments.

The aim of this research is to develop an integrated channel and catchment erosion model, tailored to Queensland conditions, which can be used to efficiently target rehabilitation actions throughout the state.

Researchers, with the assistance of Reef Catchments staff and volunteers from our regional Landcare Groups and CQUniversity, conducted Rapid Geomorphic Assessments (RGAs), Jet Testing, and Borehole Shear Tests, collecting data that will be input into the erosion model.

What’s an RGA?

A Rapid Geomorphic Assessment involves:

  • Determining the relative stability index of the bank by completing a channel-stability ranking scheme assessment.
  • Recording the species of vegetation present (including location, height, structural form, percentage cover and root information).
  • Collecting streambank/terrace information such as bank heights, slope length and angle, the type of material present, moisture content, the compressive strength of the soil, shear strength of the bank, root density, and maximum depth of exposed roots.

These assessments are a quick geotechnical investigation which gives an idea of soil strength and the point at which shear resistance will be exceeded and streambank failure will occur.

Thanks to O’Connell River and Andromache River land managers

Reef Catchments and the Australian Rivers Institute researchers would like to extend a big ‘thank you’ to the wonderful land managers who have made the project possible by providing access to the rivers through their land, which has been very much appreciated.

The next steps

The research team have moved north to the Normanby Catchment but will be returning around the end of November to complete the project in our region.

Collaborating to protect the rare Proserpine rock-wallaby

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The sailing catamaran ‘Wild Cat’ left Mackay Marina before dawn. Crewed by Wild Mob and Reef Catchments staff, the catamaran was on a passage through rough seas and overcast conditions to Gloucester Island. After picking up a team of volunteers from Griffith University at Airlie Beach, the ‘Wild Cat’ reached Gloucester Island late afternoon in time for us to establish our base camp for the next 9 days.

That evening a team briefing was conducted by staff of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Our task: a comprehensive survey of the endangered Proserpine rock-wallaby with the goal of improving our understanding of the biology and ecology of the rare unique species.

In much improved weather, calm seas, and blue skies, morning routines were quickly established with captured wallabies being safely and carefully examined. Wallaby health was ascertained under expert veterinarian supervision before they were released back into their natural habitat. In the afternoons, volunteers and staff made major efforts in removing weeds toxic to the wallabies, such as pink periwinkle, and habitat altering weeds, such as rubber vine.

60 Proserpine rock-wallabies were examined. The data collected will provide invaluable information that will guide conservation of the species. Weeds within four areas of habitat, critical for wallaby survival, were removed as part of ongoing management strategies by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and hundreds of kilograms of marine debris removed from the island.

As our only way to access remote wallaby habitat areas was by small boats, opportunity arose to remove marine debris from turtle-nesting beaches and in areas where seabirds might suffer entanglement from rope, nets and other plastics. Libby and Dave Edge of EcoBarge Clean Seas transported the marine rubbish to the mainland after first collecting data describing the type and amounts of debris as part of a nationwide research project designed to find ways of reducing this threat to the marine environment.

Working together, Reef Catchments, Wild Mob, Queensland Parks and Wildlife, and Eco Barge Clean Seas helped to protect and preserve the wallabies.

During the survey, it seemed that the natural environment rewarded the team for its efforts. Humpback whales made regular morning transits around our workboats and flotillas of manta rays provided a spectacular backdrop in the afternoons.

The collaboration continued when Reef Catchments and the Office of National Parks Minister Steve Dickson issued a joint media release about the survey of the Proserpine rock-wallabies on Gloucester Island. Featured in newspapers Courier Mail, Daily Mercury, Whitsunday Coast Guardian and Whitsunday Times as well as radio station ABC Tropical North, the survey was well-received by local and state-wide press in September.

Collaborating across boundaries: the Role of Ecological Knowledge, Landscape Values and Ecosystem Services in the Riverine River Restoration Programs

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In 2011, twenty-one land managers from the Gregory River catchment participated in a survey conducted by Reef Catchments to determine community perception of river condition and conservation priorities for their own properties. The program also sought to find preferred methods of improved conservation practices.

During 2012 the project has been expanded to the O’Connell River Restoration Program. Reef Catchments Healthy Waterways Project Officer, Melanie McSwiney and conservation planning consultant Dr Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley recently completed interviews with more than forty land managers directly adjacent to the O’Connell River. The surveys are designed to establish landholders willingness to participate in riverine restoration programs, priority restoration activities and establishment of spatially explicit conservation planning scenarios.

The survey provided land managers with a list of possible riverine restoration actions and asked them to rank the priority of each action on their own property. The actions included stream bank stabilisation, invasive species management, riparian revegetation, riparian vegetation maintenance, water quality and waterhole monitoring, improving fish access and fencing the waterway from cattle.

They were then asked to identify what public and private benefits, if any, they would expect to achieve after undertaking the actions. Lastly, participants identified incentives they would expect/require in order to undertake each of the seven riverine restoration actions on their property.

Such conservation planning programs can have excellent on-ground benefits including:

  • Identifying property scale priorities for riverine restoration to maximise the delivery of ecosystem services including water management strategies
  • Collecting and assimilating ecological and socio-economic data that will inform property scale prioritisation
  • Developing frameworks that are transferable and may be used in resource management to identify priorities with consideration to conservation value and socio-economic constraints that influence the success of restoration actions
  • Provide data analysis (spatial, social, cost)  for spatial prioritisation across land manager units to contribute to catchment and region scale knowledge improvement in natural resource management for improved biodiversity condition, connectivity and habitat resilience

The overarching aim of these types of spatial prioritisation scenarios is to maximise the number of ecosystem services per length of river requiring action, and to minimise the cost by considering both implementation actions as well as the willingness of landholders to implement proposed actions on their land.  Read more about the River Restoration Program.