Issue 155
12 December 2018
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Action taken to protect the largest fresh water wetland on the Central Coast S
ignificant steps have been taken to achieve the p e r m a n e n t protection of Porters Creek Wetland, the largest fresh water wetland on the Central Coast. Mayor, Jane Smith, has made the permanent protection of the Porters Creek Wetlands one of her major goals as the first Mayor of the amalgamated Council. She said it was a “critical part of the bigger picture for that area” in terms of how surrounding land could be developed to create employment. “The former Wyong Council, for some 20 years, and different people, have been recognising its value and it needs protection, and they just haven’t been able to deliver what is required,” she said. “So I am really pleased that we are making progress.” She said the report considered at the Monday, December 10, Central Coast Council meeting put in place the need to reclassify the SEPP14 (protected) wetland from Operational land to Community land, to ensure it could not be sold off. “I think that is an important first step. “There have been numerous studies of the wetlands and part of the resolution was to pull that information together and
Porters Creek Wetlands, west of Wyong, cover 3.6 hectares and is the region’s largest wetland of significance turn it into a proposal and important for Tuggerah Porters Creek Wetland identified and a case for why it needs Lake, for the run off and were water quality going into discussed. stronger protection. Of seven options When introducing her Tuggerah lakes. “In terms of flora and considered, a Biodiversity motion to the meeting, which was seconded fauna, it has threatened Stewardship Agreement by, Clr Kyle MacGregor, species and endangered was considered to be Mayor Smith said she ecological communities.” a strong mechanism to wished to see Council According to the staff protect the wetland. engage a consultant report presented to the “The next strongest with wetland expertise, meeting, Porters Creek are the existing planning to initiate biodiversity Wetland is significant instruments, State and stewardship agreement because of its ecology Local, which are already and investigate whether and its impact on in place,” the staff report it could be declared as a improving downstream said. wetland of international water quality from its “A Biodiversity significance. large catchment area. Stewardship Agreement She said she wanted Work on the December can provide offsets Council to liaise with 10 resolution started in for development National Parks and March, when Council opportunities elsewhere, prepare a submission unanimously resolved and will support the and to look at what to request the CEO to creation of an income planning clauses might arrange a meeting with stream to fund the be considered for an the Office of Environment ongoing management LEP or DCP to minimise and Heritage, of biodiversity in Porters impacts. Department of Planning Creek wetland,” it said. “The significant part, in and other stakeholders “Landowners, including my view, about Porters to identify mechanisms Council, may consider Creek Wetland, is that it to permanently protect entering into a voluntary is the largest fresh water Porters Creek Wetland. Biodiversity Stewardship wetland on the Central The meeting was Agreement (BSA) on Coast. held in May, and any parcel of land under mechanisms the NSW Biodiversity “Just by nature of several the size and role, it is to permanently protect Conservation Act 2016.
“There are provisions within the agreement for “in-perpetuity conservation. “Council would be able to sell credits and receive an annual management payment to service the BSA. “This can provide permanent protection for the management of biodiversity and allow for the creation of biodiversity credits for sale. “The resulting stewardship site generates biodiversity credits which represent the expected improvement in biodiversity that will result from the protection and management of the site. “A landholder (Council) can sell the biodiversity credits to a developer, the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, or other interested parties. “Once credits are sold, the site needs to be maintained in perpetuity. “The potential credit status of the Porters Creek wetland land parcels would need to be assessed. “A BSA is registered on the land title. “When land that includes a BSA is sold, then the new owner takes over the obligations of the stewardship agreement and in return receives payments from the Biodiversity Stewardship Payments Fund.” Another strategy would be to donate the land to National Parks.
“NPWS would assess the value for use as a national Park, its diversity and cultural heritage values, recreational opportunities, park management benefits and economic impacts. “The land would need to align with the NSW National Parks System Directions Statement. “This is a strong level of protection. “The national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is the legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places. “Under the Act, the Federal Environment Minister may declare a specified wetland to be of international importance (often called 'Ramsar' wetlands after the international treaty under which such wetlands are listed). “There are presently 12 Ramsar wetland sites in NSW, the closest being Hunter Estuary Wetlands, and Myall Lakes. “The nomination process would include comments from the State. “The process is long [and] a declaration would be unlikely.
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Source: Interview, Dec 11 Jane Smith, Central Coast Council Agenda item 5.8, Dec 10 Central Coast Council ordinary meeting Jackie Pearson, journalist