Karoo Bay Saltmarsh Restoration
Funded by the Endeavour Energy Community Grants Program, this Collaboration between Shellharbour City Council, Illawarra Landcare, Tullimbah Landcare, and OzFish aims to restore a degraded section of saltmarsh along the foreshore at Karoo Bay.
The project aims to create a sustainable and resilient environment, benefiting both the ecosystem and the local community.
Transforming the foreshore at Karoo Bay
To rejuvenate the ecosystem, invasive weeds were removed, and 1,800 saltmarsh plants were strategically planted. This approach actively engaged the local community in the restoration process. This intervention will help to decreased bank erosion and urban runoff, improving the area’s capacity to contribute to aquatic food webs and maintain water quality.
Community supporting habitat restoration
Three volunteer events took place, each incorporating hands-on activities such as planting sessions, weeding efforts, and a rubbish clean-up initiative. Educational elements, including talks by the Council Environment Officer and OzFish staff, enriched the experience for volunteers, providing them with valuable insights into environmental stewardship.
The project also involved trailing a method of saltmarsh restoration where saltmarsh species were directly seeded into hessian sack filled with seagrass wrack. This approach decreased transplant stress of saltmarsh and allowed for the expansion of saltmarsh into additional areas where direct planting wasn’t feasible.
Removing exotic weeds and planting saltmarsh reinstated this highly productive endangered ecological area.
Sustaining Aquatic Ecosystems
Saltmarshes were critical to the health of aquatic food webs, providing essential habitats for numerous species. It was estimated that 70 percent of all recreationally targeted saltwater fish species relied on saltmarsh at some stage of their life cycle. By restoring and preserving these coastal habitats, we ensured the sustainability of our fish populations.
A healthy saltmarsh community in this location also helped protect the site and the surrounding water body by stabilising the foreshore, reducing coastal erosion, and filtering runoff, effectively limiting the amount of sediment and contaminants entering the waterway.
Empowering community
In addition to the tangible ecological outcomes, volunteers gained hands-on experience and valuable skills in environmental restoration. Moreover, the project empowered individuals and groups, fostering the capacity for future regeneration initiatives. The wider impact was felt as community members, both new and existing, were motivated to actively participate in local conservation activities, contributing to the broader cause of environmental stewardship.
Help restore saltmarsh in Karoo Bay!
Join the Illawarra Chapter at Karoo Bay in restoring a degraded Saltmarsh! Saltmarsh communities contribute to the health of aquatic food webs, provide essential habitats, and sustain fish populations. Thanks to funding from Endeavour Energy, OzFish have joined forces with Shellharbour City Council and Tullimbah Landcare to restore and protect this important is an environment.
If you love the outdoors and are eager to meet others who share your passion for conservation, this is the perfect opportunity. Join us at Karoo Bay for a day of hands-on learning and skill-building. Activities include mulching, weeding, planting native salt marsh, and removing litter. A light lunch will be provided.
