Publication (Media): Drought Recovery funding shows forward thinking for the environment

Publication Type:	Media Release
Publication Name:	Drought Recovery funding shows forward thinking for the environment

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Jones, Gary (2002) Drought Recovery funding shows forward thinking for the environment - Dec 23 2002, CRCFE, Canberra - Media Release.

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Drought Recovery funding shows forward thinking for the environment

The $10 million Drought Recovery Round of the Envirofund, announced on Wednesday by the Federal Government, is a leap in the right direction for the environment, says Professor Gary Jones.

But Professor Jones warns against projects that involve pumping water out of waterholes in drying rivers. This detail is not clear in the description of types of projects that will be considered for funding, to be found in the Guide to Applications Drought Recovery Round on the Natural Heritage Trust web page.

Professor Jones is the Chief Executive of the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology based at University of Canberra. He says: `These new funds for environmental stewardship will help protect our rivers and wetlands so freshwater plants and animals can recover when the drought breaks’.

Pumping from waterholes and rivers to water stock elsewhere will prevent the stock damaging riverbanks, but drying out the waterholes may kill the freshwater creatures living there.

Professor Jones recommends that funding applicants give high priority to the following four actions that should safeguard vital freshwater habitats which are already under stress:
· Cart in water for livestock where possible, rather than pumping it out of waterholes or creeks. Waterholes are refuges for freshwater fish and turtles and invertebrates (such as yabbies and insects). It is best not to pump them dry to provide water to livestock.
· Fence out or move livestock away from wetlands, waterholes and low rivers, so they will not damage the banks and beds and vegetation. Grazing, trampling and dung add severely to the stress these habitats are already bearing.
· Erect signs warning against fishing in waterholes and low rivers. Native fish, turtles and invertebrates such as yabbies congregating now in waterholes and low creeks are the breeding adults that will restock our rivers after the drought.
· Where there is little waterside vegetation, dig trenches and sediment traps now, parallel to and a suitable distance from the water’s edge. The trenches and traps should intercept soil washing off adjacent bare paddocks and into the water in heavy rain.

`In natural environments, drought is not a threat to native biodiversity’, says Professor Jones. `But where humans have altered and stressed rivers and wetlands, the natural resilience of the system is already reduced.

`Therefore we must take care of our freshwaters, so they can bounce back quickly once the drought breaks.’

Professor Jones concedes that water carting for livestock may not be achievable in all areas because water carriers are already coping with extreme demand. Water carting has been helping communities in the worst drought areas for several months.

`But where it is possible, carting in alternative water is better than pumping from waterhole refuges’, he says.

Professor Jones encourages individuals and community groups to apply immediately for Envirofund dollars under the new Drought Recovery Round, to take action to protect our fragile freshwater biodiversity.

ENDS

For interview: Professor Gary Jones, Mobile: 0408 411 033, gjones@enterprise.canberra.edu.au

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