Award-winning Restoration
Where
Spend the day traveling through NSW’s scenic Central Coast to Tomago Wetland and explore this award winning wetland restoration project by 4WD. Visit to Kooragang Island to view a degraded wetland and to Williamstown to discuss PFAS contamination are also being planned but need to be confirmed.
Who
The tour will be hosted by experts from both UNSW’s Water Research Laboratory & the Centre for Ecosystem Science and the NSW Office for Environment and Heritage.
Cost
$85+ lunch. Lunch will be at a local venue showcasing local produce – the cost of lunch is not included in this price.
Group size is capped at 55 people due to 4WD seating space. Travel to-from Tomago will be by private Coach.
What
UNSW Water Research Laboratory has been working in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) and the Department of Primary Industries (NSW Fisheries) since 2004 to transform the Tomago Wetlands site from a large acidic landscape into a restored productive tidal wetland. The project has proven a terrific success, winning awards for both conservation and engineering excellence. Innovative technical, modelling and monitoring solutions were developed to provide the precise conditions required to regenerate saltmarsh ecosystem and restore over 400 hectares of severely degraded land into a thriving ecosystem.
Key features of the project include:
- Design and application of a staged restoration approach:
- Detailed hydrodynamic modelling to test and fine-tune tidal inundation extent and hydraulic controls across the wetland during design;
- Design, construction and application of innovative on-ground engineering works including remotely controlled SmartGates and buoyancy controlled swing gates;
- Monitoring of changes in vegetation, fisheries and birds throughout the site;
- Effective adaptive management of habitat type and extent through remote and on-ground monitoring; and
- Enhanced ecosystem services to the wider community through increased fisheries and bird populations.
When
Thursday, 18 October 2018
Depart 08:00 – Coach departure from conference venue
Return approximately 18:00.