Protecting our natural environment 2018 –19

Protecting our natural environment 2018 –19

Council is committed to protecting and enhancing the Tweed’s beautiful natural environment for current and future generations. We seek to deliver on that commitment in three key ways:

❶ We minimise our negative impact on the environment❷ We work to protect our land, waterways and native wildlife❸ We respond to climate change

Read more about some of the key accomplishments from the past 12 months.

Examples of how we minimised our negative impact on the environment over the past 12 months

Replacement of the Anchorage Island boardwalk provides walkers access to tidal wetlands and views of Southern Boat Harbour.

The new 1.8 metre-wide boardwalk has been constructed using composite fibreglass piers, decking and handrails and powder-coated aluminium balustrading, which will not rust, rot or be attacked by termites or marine borers.

We have implemented recycling and sustainability initiatives across roadworks, engineering and procurement projects. Examples include re-using and recycling excavated waste, using recycled glass sand, zero and low portland-cement-content concrete, recycled plastic fibres in footpath concrete and the use of recycled tyres in our rubberised road-bitumen products.

We assisted the Tweed community to reduce their impact on the environment at Council’s sixth Tweed Shire Sustainable Living Home Expo. Over 600 locals attended the event to learn about reducing waste, energy efficiency, biodiversity, backyard food gardens, saving water and sustainable homes.

Congratulations to volunteers, community and responsible dog owners who all contributed to the successful breeding of a Beach Stone-curlew at Hastings Point. This Critically Endangered charismatic bird has rarely been recorded successfully breeding in the Tweed.

The Beach Stone-curlew chick at Hastings Point, January 2019.

Living and loving the Tweed

Protecting our natural environment 2018 –19

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Examples of how we protected and enhanced our land, waterways and native wildlife over the past 12 months

18 Tweed secondary school students completed a three-day Outward Bound Australia wilderness experience in Kunghur as part of the Youth Environmental Leadership Program. The program, funded through Council’s environmental education funds, has inspired and supported students to create and deliver sustainability projects in their own schools.

Council designated three Wildlife Protection Areas in high conservation bushland reserves in Pottsville. Wildlife Protection Areas not only provide much-needed habitat, but are also intended to provide native species with a safe haven free from the threat of predators including domestic pets.

For more information, www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/WildlifeProtectionAreas

Our Rous River Riparian Restoration Project aims to improve the condition, extent and connectivity of riparian (riverbank) vegetation between Chillingham and Murwillumbah and includes:

Through our Biodiversity Grants Program, we assisted private land owners to restore 10 hectares of habitat. Our River Health Grants Program helped plant 2000 trees along the banks of Burringbar Creek.

Council released a water quality report card for the Tweed’s waterways with scores ranging from “A” in the lower reaches of the estuary, to “D” in the Rous River. View the report card at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/NaturalEnvironment

Council produced the Native Species Planting Guide to make it easy for you to select native species to plant in your garden. www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/NativeSpeciesPlantingGuide/Tweed

The Oxley River bank erosion stabilisation project won the Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement category of the 2018 Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards.

Our Land for Wildlife and Backyard Habitat for Wildlife programs have 153 and 201 registered landholders signed up to help protect local wildlife.

4.2km of riparian stock exclusion fencing

7 hectares of riparian vegetation restoration

Erosion control earthworks along 400m of river bank

Planting over 7,500 native trees, shrubs and groundcover plants

Protecting our natural environment 2018 –19

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Council is using an innovative method to turn dead native trees into high rise habitats. Instead of removing some trees that have died, they are pruned back and hollows created to provide homes for wildlife. This new real estate is in high demand and being used by lorikeets, corellas and sugar gliders.

Modifications to tree limbs and natural cavities on old or dead trees can augment natural habitat niches for arboreal species. Image courtesy Habi-Tec.

To help manage threats to threatened fauna, Council implements monitoring and control of priority pest species including, wild dogs, foxes, cats and rabbits in areas of high conservation value bushland.

Pottsville Wetland bird monitoring with BirdLife Northern Rivers.

140 bird species recorded

7 threatened bird species

90 hours of surveys

A NSW Environmental Trust project on Fingal Head peninsula prevented pest animals such as foxes and cats from killing threatened birds and other species. The Fingal Head Bush Stone-curlews have successfully raised seven chicks since the project began.

Our team also worked with Fingal Head Public School on colourful murals and signage to highlight the plight of native species while our Love Pets Love Wildlife event helped educate the community about looking after our pets and our local wildlife.

Council continues to actively monitor the population of the endangered Bush Stone-curlew and to implement actions to assist recovery.

The Bush Stone-curlew population in the Tweed has now increased to more than 35 breeding pairs.

We are actively involved in koala and koala habitat conservation initiatives and are implementing programs that aim to protect koalas and improve their habitat.

Almost 300 koala sightings registered since mid-2017

3540 habitat trees have been planted over 1.56ha

Our third koala study was conducted on the Tweed Coast in 2018. See www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/koalas for the full results of the study, to log a koala sighting, or view the current habitat restoration map.

Protecting our natural environment 2018 –19

Examples of how we responded to climate change over the past 12 months

We have begun making the switch to renewables at Council facilities with 12 new energy efficiency and solar projects completed to reduce electricity demand. Together, these projects have:

Achieved $174,000 annual electricity savings

Added 555kW solar generation capacity

Avoided over 840 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year

To secure the Tweed’s water supply for the future, Council is progressing with land purchases and planning for the raising of Clarrie Hall Dam.

Living and loving the Tweed

tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au www.tweed.nsw.gov.au

PO Box 816 Murwillumbah NSW 2484

Customer Service | 1300 292 872 | (02) 6670 2400

Council implements mosquito larvae control works at key breeding areas in the Tweed. This year Council applied aerial control over 657 hectares, and ground treatments over 62 hectares. Environmental conditions relating to climate change mean that we will have longer mosquito breeding seasons thanks to increased flooding, more regular tidal inundation and warmer air and sea temperatures.

We completed a Tidal Inundation Study for the Tweed River estuary to understand how increased frequency and depth of tides will impact on low lying land and vital infrastructure with projected Sea Level Rise over the next 100 years.

To learn more visit www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Environment or subscribe to the Sustainability e-newsletter at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Subscribe

Cover image and above © Ryan Fowler Photography