01-Feb-2012

A collaborative project is underway on the Sunshine Coast to rehabilitate mangrove areas on the edges of caneland farms of the upper Maroochy estuary, to improve local ecosystems, fish habitat and water quality whilst also providing additional employment opportunities among local Aboriginal groups.

This project which focuses on the Maroochy floodplains, is one of the focus areas of the overarching SunCoast FarmFLOW program and builds upon a mangrove rehabilitation initiative originally led by the Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal Corporation (BBCAC), the Descendants of the South Sea Islanders (DASSI) and associated groups.

These groups have a strong connection to the floodplains, both from their deep Aboriginal history of estuarine living as well as their pivotal role in the sugar cane industry. Supported by the Sunshine Coast Council, the group has developed understanding and expertise of mangrove seed collection propagation and planting over the last five years through the Maroochy Rive Mangrove Rehabilitation Project.

The project builds upon existing knowledge and skills, expanding project sites and trials in order to propagate and plant a greater number of mangrove seedlings along the streambanks of caneland farms which suffer from little or no fringing vegetation and are being eroded from boatwash and high flow impact.

2011 was a bumper year for pioneer grey mangrove seed production, and BBCAC collected and propagated about 2,000 seeds which were planted in October 2011 at three sites on the north bank of the estuary.

These seedlings were protected with a trial barrier fence of coir logs to minimise the impact of boat wash.

Almost four months later, the logs have remained firm and the mangroves are growing well with 90-95% success rate.

Three other types of mangroves -river, red and orange mangroves- are now seeding and ready for harvesting and propagation.

New project sites will be developed in the next stage, possibly using silt curtains this time to protect the newly planted mangroves.

SunCoast FarmFLOW, is a federally funded three-year project is through Maroochy Landcare with key partners, Sunshine Coast Council, DEEDI and SEQ Catchments. Many local NRM groups are involved as delivery partners.