Wetland Restoration Case Studies
Tarban Creek Stream Bank Rehabiliation Project
August 2006
This Tide to Table $31k project, being managed by Hunters Hill Council, is rehabilitating the creek line that flows off a residential catchment next to a main road within Sydney. The site at Tarban Creek drains to a stand of Mangroves on the Parramatta River over about 1km. Prior to works being undertaken, the heavily infested channel was home to mature willows, privet, mistflower, alligator weed and numerous other exotic weed species.
Left: The project area prior to works Right: After works on National tree day (Photos: S. Rowe ). Following clearing, the site was contoured, jute mat laid and planted out with endemics.
The mangroves towards the lower end of the site have been impacted over the years from sediment build up, nutrients and weed (Buffalo and Ehrharta grass) outbreaks. Sediment depositing on the mangroves pneumatophores from upstream has also been a real problem. This has resulted in a detrimental impact on the health of the whole ecosystem and reduced fish habitat productivity. The Tide to Table project in the upper section of the river is Stage 1 of a larger attempt to increase the natural functioning of the creek and estuary. Because of the scale, an excavator was used to cut and pull mature weeds out of the channel. The channel was then contoured and covered in a jute mat to stabilise the site during plant establishment. The local Bushcare group and community on National Tree day have planted swathes of grasses and riparian species into the mat. Stage 2 is planned and will work further down stream. Research is also taking place in the lower tidal reaches to explore how to manage sediment deposition and weed incursions upon salt marsh within the mangroves. Possible options include manual sediment removal, reintroducing tidal flushing by shallow channelling or letting global warming and subsequent water rise change conditions at the site.
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