Friends of Mosman Park Bushland

a.        Greatest threats to the health of these rivers are clearing in the catchment

  i.        Collaboration and planning rule changes need to occur to consider:

1.           Cumulative Environmental impact of a proposed project, existing and future projects.

2.           Planning at State and Local Government, from first inception of projects, including MRS amendments, Local Planning schemes.

3.           DBCA Strategies for foreshore need to be defined for land managers with clear documentation of protected areas so that  public open space strategies by Local Government concur.

b.       Climate change impacts to foreshore require urgency of action

   i.        Plan for water rise and retreat.

 ii.        Revegetation further into foreshore to control erosion, nutrients, support ecological linkages, ecosystem function and allow sufficient area for fauna use and human use.

2)        Planning Green Infrastructure first before lifestyle:

·        Sites used by wading and migratory birds to be protected by fences, signage visible from both from land and water. Set aside land for retreat and revegetation.

·        Access to river needs to be defined on maps, fences, signage.

3)        Aboriginal Culture of respect for nature is imperative. Requirement of documentation of particularly important cultural sites is needed for all land managers to see. Story telling signage for public.

4)        Funding:

·        Urgency! Decades of lack of funding and remediation have harmed the river and need attention. Drains direct into river are harmful and still existing.

·        Volunteer groups with their land managers are bringing back nature and biodiversity. They need to be better funded.