Submission made on wetlands plan

The Melaleuca Wetlands bush regeneration group has made a submission to Gosford Council about the Everglades lagoon system draft plan of management.

The draft plan stated that the water levels should not be artificially raised and lowered, that natural water levels be determined over a period of six months and that a water quality monitoring program be implemented as high priorities.

"Public and private drainage structures" which affect the wetland would be "rectified" and a water balance model would be investigated as a medium priorities.

The group stated that hydrology in the area was of immediate concern and should be investigated and rectified as a high priority.

The draft plan included the replacement of existing prohibitive signs at entry points to the reserve, and for interpretive and safety signs to be erected within the reserve.

The group requested that a sign alerting the public not to disturb alligator weed should be erected and reworded so that both children and adults could understand it.

The group further stated that either children or their parents should be held accountable for any damage children caused to the site.

The draft plan aimed to improve the adjacent car park for use by patrons of the golf course, but reduce any impacts of its use on the lagoon system, while maintaining access from the car park to the reserve.

The bush regeneration group stated "The new gate into the wetland from the carpark needs to be kept locked as a safety measure for the volunteers, as drug users are entering here and leaving syringes."

The draft plan put the construction of a single formal access track through the reserve as a high priority.

The group commented that it would like an actual walkway map made showing the main access points and the walkway.

The plan put identification of the causes of lack of new melaleuca growth and of eucalypt dieback as medium priority.

The group said that melaleuca recruitment should be a high priority.

The plan suggested investigation of options to remove the exotic pest fish gambusia holbrooki from the lagoon system.

The group commented that the options that had been suggested were unacceptably destructive of the environment.

The submission was signed by 12 of the group's volunteers

Council agenda P.12, February 22