Main Club MARCH Meeting Report
The speaker at the March meeting was Dr Jane Chambers, Academic Chair for Environmental Science and Environmental Management and Sustainability at Murdoch University. With over 30 years of experience in wetland research, management and restoration in WA and internationally, Jane has also served as Deputy Chair of the Swan River Trust. The underlying theme of the talk was to explain the necessity of conserving wetlands in urban areas and she presented a vision of what is possible through enlightened development.
The opening picture of the talk was the Eric Singleton Bird Reserve where the government has spent over three million dollars in the last few years (mainly to act as a reed filter to clean water in drains flowing into the Swan River). But the next was the bulldozed mess of the privately-owned Carters Wetland, just three metres away across the path. Gone were the dense vegetation of paperbarks, the noise of the frogs and the many birds.
Jane showed us a list of threatened wetlands, including those under threat from Roe 8 at the time. She asked how this could be allowed to happen. There seems to be a lack of will to act within the government. There are Acts and regulations such as Bush Forever (2000), Green Growth Plan (2016), Wetlands Conservation Policy (1997) and Swan Coastal Plain Environment Protection Policy (1992). There is also a policy on clearing private land. The Roe 8 experience seems to show the government does not have to follow its own policies.
Why should we care about wetlands and nature? It is a well-known fact that contact with nature has a positive effect on human health and well-being and lessens stress. The psychological benefits are greater in areas of greater biodiversity. Aside from this, the ecosystems provide ‘free’ services: areas for recreation, flood control, climate control (just two trees provide the equivalent of 24 hours of air conditioning for a house), nutrient stripping, noise and wind reduction and increased property value (a well-planted verge can add $17,000 to a house’s value.)
As our population increases, there is increasing density of housing and increased clearing. Jane’s vision is of green network links, appropriately resourced to take advantage of these wetlands/natural areas to improve biodiversity. These areas act as green filters; with only 10 per cent runoff of rainwater while 50 per cent infiltrates deep into the soil as distinct from a ‘grey’ area where 15 per cent infiltrates and 55 per cent runs off. Drains can be living streams, not concrete channels, and even small backyards can be filled with plants. Verge gardens can be encouraged, and parks can be redesigned from acres of grass to activity areas, shady trees, nature playgrounds, vegetable gardens, interesting swales and slopes, etc. Melaleucas at Herdsman Lake. (below, T Marwood)
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Advances are being made in some areas—some new subdivisions and some local councils are trying new approaches (e.g. the Cockburn Council Community Wildlife Corridor, running from Kwinana Freeway and Beeliar Wetlands to the Indian Ocean at C Y O’Connor Reserve). There are many ‘Friends of…’ groups caring for bush and wetland areas and people are responding to destruction by protesting e.g. the Carters Wetland clearing was stopped by protestors. There is a need to reinstate policies and enforcement. A holistic approach to development and an awareness of wetlands’ contribution to our well-being should be promoted. In answer to a question, Jane suggested that politicians need better background knowledge and most need to be educated on this topic.
The focus talk was given by one of our former Serventy students, Kit Prendergast, on the Flowerpot Snake. It was an interesting talk and well delivered. See The Western Australian Naturalist (V30, 4) for her article on the subject.
Margaret Larke