Watershed moment for health of river catchments

MORE than 400 trees have been planted near Wilsons River and Coopers Creek as part of a regional initiative to restore riverbanks, improve water quality and reduce flood risk across the Northern Rivers.

The community planting was part of the Northern Rivers Watershed Initiative, which includes a range of natural flood management projects led by Rous County Council in partnership with six local councils.

Projects in the initiative include riparian restoration, catchment revegetation, landscape rehydration, floodplain drainage redesign and soil health improvements.

Catchment and cultural awareness manager at Rous, Antony Acret, said the work would help strengthen natural flood defences and improve river health.

“Riparian restoration and catchment revegetation works will provide benefits to water quality and natural flood mitigation through reducing erosion, increasing resilience of riverbanks and acting as a natural barrier to slow the flow of floodwater across the landscape,” he said.

“We are pleased to see the community turn out to help plant trees as part of the initiative and were here in support of the program.”

Boatharbour Landcare and Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy supported the planting, which is part of a broader push to improve ecosystem health and water security across the region.

The Northern Rivers Joint Organisation has endorsed the program, which addresses river health and flood risk across the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond and Evans River systems.

It was originally developed through partnerships between Whian Whian Landcare, Lismore City Council’s floodplain risk management committee and Rous.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin and the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation played a key role in advocating for the initiative.

“Rous County Council’s Antony Acret has engaged well with me about how the water authority will work closely with local partners from government and non-government on the ground to maximise river health and environmental benefits under a suite of projects which have a truly regional scope,” Saffin said.

North Coast Local Land Services and the Casino Food Coop are also involved in the project.