The Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) and Healthy Land and Water have partnered via the 2020 Community NRM Activity Support Grant Program to tackle the rehabilitation of key shorebird habitat located in the Noosa River estuary.
The twelve month project, titled “The Sand Island Stop Over – Restoring Noosa’s Shorebird Habitat” is intended to completely eliminate invasive weed species from the Sand Island and adjacent islets in the frying pan area of the Noosa River estuary to preserve key habitat for migratory and resident shorebirds.
Indeed, a recent report compiled by NICA on it’s long-running survey of the Noosa River found 27 species of shorebirds including almost half of those known to traverse the East-Asian Australasian Flyway frequent the estuary. These include eight species listed as threatened including three critically endangered.
President of NICA, Bruce Hallett said it was critical Noosa does its part to preserve key habitat along the flyway for these threatened shorebirds.
“The Sand Island and adjacent areas are critical to numerous threatened species but have been progressively infested with invasive weed species over a number of years,” he said.
“We look forward to completely eliminating this threat to the environment, enhancing the natural resilience of the area and preserving the habitat for these shorebirds.”
Mr Hallett said monitoring the response of the shorebirds to the rehabilitation work and raising awareness within the community of the shorebirds presence and plight were other key objectives of the project.
“The presence of so many iconic but threatened species just a stone’s throw from Hastings Street is not well understood,” he said.
“We look forward to raising the community’s awareness of their presence, and to help the community identify, observe and enjoy them undisturbed.”
NICA acknowledges Healthy Land and Water’s guidance and support for the project under the NRM Community Grants Program 2020 and NICA look forward to continuing this partnership long past this project.
Further updates regarding the project, including opportunities for the community to participate, will be posted on NICA’s social media and website at www.noosariver.com.au.
