Ringarooma Ramsar Project

Water sampling and vegetation surveys will improve our knowledge and form the foundation for planning the most effective actions to protect this diverse wetland system. Prioritised on-ground land management actions to be implemented aim to improve the quality of surface water draining from dairy and grazing operations to the wetlands and remove infestations of high-threat environmental weeds from, and immediately adjacent to the site.

The Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River wetlands were designated a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in November 1982. The site is a complex wetland, coastal and estuarine ecosystem, incorporating both reserves and private agricultural land. The site includes the Boobyalla Inlet to the north and a mobile sand dune system and provides habitat for important and nationally-recognised threatened species.

Habitat transforming weeds, particularly gorse, willow, blackberry and boxthorn, are a major threat to the dune wetlands and native Melaleuca vegetation. Inappropriate land use in areas immediately adjacent to the wetland, such as stock and vehicle access, cause damage to the wetlands and Melaleuca vegetation, particularly at the margin, which may create long term impacts for the Ramsar site.

The quality and extent of estuarine and freshwater floodplain wetland native vegetation within the Ringarooma Ramsar site will measurably improve against baseline levels through:

• physical removal of accessible habitat-transforming weeds (including gorse, willow, blackberry and boxthorn) within the site and within 1km of the site boundaries;
• restriction of stock access to the site’s floodplain wetlands; and
• working with landholders to implement works to reduce nutrient inputs from on-farm watercourses draining to the site.