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 will be removed and 1800 saltmarsh will be strategically planted . This approach aims to actively engage the local community in the restoration process. This will decrease bank erosion and urban runoff, which will improve the capacity of the area to contribute to aquatic food webs and maintain water quality.
Community supporting habitat restoration
Three volunteer events have been planned, 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, enrich the experience for volunteers, providing them with valuable insights into environmental stewardship.
This project will also involve trailing a method of saltmarsh restoration where saltmarsh species will be directly seeded into coir logs. This will allow the expansion of saltmarsh into additional areas that direct planting isn’t feasible.
Removing exotic weeds and planting saltmarsh will reinstate this highly productive endangered ecological area.
Sustaining Aquatic Ecosystems
Saltmarshes are critical to the health of aquatic food webs, providing essential habitats for numerous species. It is estimated 70 per cent of all recreationally targeted saltwater fish species rely on saltmarsh at some stage of their life cycle. By restoring and preserving these coastal habitats, we ensure the sustainability of our fish populations.
A healthy saltmarsh community in this location will also help to 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 gain hands-on experience and valuable skills in environmental restoration. Moreover, the project empowers individuals and groups, fostering the capacity for future regeneration initiatives. The wider impact is felt as community members, both new and existing, are motivated to actively participate in local conservation activities, contributing to the broader cause of environmental stewardship.
