PROTECTION for Mambo Wanda Wetlands is being sought.

Econetwork in conjunction with other environmentally focused groups are undertaking the process to obtain listing under the Ramsar Convention for the Mambo Wanda Wetlands.

The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

A Ramsar listing of Mambo Wanda has been re-energised after a developer purchased six hectares of Education Department land for $250,000 within the Reserve.

The local community was outraged by the sale.

To gain the Ramsar listing the Mambo Wanda Wetlands will needed broad community support, including that of private owners.

To be listed the wetlands must meet at least one of nine internationally accepted criteria of wetland dependent biodiversity.

Nigel Dique, secretary of EcoNetwork told News Of The Area that work has begun on having the wetlands considered for nomination as a wetland of International Significance.

“A collaborative working group of stakeholder groups including Mambo Wanda Wetlands, Reserves and Landcare Committee, Econetwork and the Hunter Estuaries program; individuals are also on the group with expertise in bird watching and marine science, this group has been making some progress.”

“We are pursuing the Ramsar listing as an extension of the existing Myall Lakes listing, after receiving guidance from Office of Environment and Heritage, which has confirmed that Mambo Wanda and two subsets of the Myall, Gir-um-bit National Park and Corrie Is. Nature Reserve, are hydrologically connected.”

“This makes the ‘extension’ proposal technically feasible,” he said.

Neil Fraser an avid birdwatcher has provided an avian species update, and noted that the total population of Australian Pied Oystercatcher and Eastern Curlew present, potentially constitute 1% of the worldwide population.

This potentially meets Criteria 6 for Ramsar listing for waterbirds but needs further research.

 

By Marian SAMPSON