World Wetlands Day event set to hit Barwon Heads

RESIDENTS, volunteers, and environmental enthusiasts will have the chance to see to the Barwon River like never before on February 5.

In partnership with Chevron Australia, Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) will be engaging individuals and communities to deeply care for blue carbon ecosystems and encourage active stewardship to ensure they function as best they can into the future. ​

The Conservation Volunteers Revive Wetlands Event celebrating World Wetlands Day, held at the small boat ramp in Barwon Heads, will offer volunteers a whole new perspective of the Lake Connewarre complex and the lower Barwon River towards Barwon Heads and experience first-hand the immense diversity of plants and animals that call this environment home.

“We will be carrying out a canoe trip to explore the ecosystem and will conduct a wildlife survey and the first of a series of seine netting surveys to uncover just how important and fascinating these ecosystems are,” CVA project officer and event organiser Henry Kisby said.

“Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment and play a key role in supporting Australia’s biological diversity.

“Wetlands support waterbird, fish, amphibian, reptile and plant species during important life stages by providing roosting, nesting, and feeding habitat as well as refuge during extreme weather conditions.

“They also form corridor or steppingstone habitats that support the migration of species, including waterbirds and marine mammals.”

This citizen science event aims to highlight the interconnectedness of the wetland environment, the multitude of values it offers and will provide data to help reduce biodiversity decline.

By monitoring species, organisations such as the Marine Freshwater Discovery Centre, who will be in attendance on the day, can identify the main pressures that are that currently threatening biodiversity either by degradation of habitat or competition of invasive species.

From there, future events can be planned to target these issues to increase the resilience of the Lake Connewarre wetland complex according to Mr Kisby.

Tickets are almost sold out and it is expected that Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan and Bellarine Ward Councillor Jim Mason will be in attendance on the day.

If this is of interest, reach out to Henry Kisby via [email protected] to register your spot.