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The Launch of Revive Our Wetlands

World Wetlands Day marked an exciting milestone for CVA as we officially launched our Revive our Wetlands initiative with Chevron Australia.

Revive our Wetlands will protect and restore wetlands of significance through targeted conservation interventions, including citizen science events, Aboriginal connection to country events and habitat restoration activities. 

These precious environments act as integral blue carbon systems, absorbing carbon from our atmosphere, yet they face significant pressure from urbanisation and other human induced impacts. This partnership is focused on exploring nature-based solutions to climate change and ensuring everyone across Australia knows about wetlands, the unsung heroes of our environment. Together with Chevron Australia we’re activating communities across Australia to care for these incredibly important ecosystems. 

“CVA has long recognised the co-benefits our activities create for people and the planet. This year we are launching the Revive our Wetlands campaign around World Wetlands Day 2022, 2nd February, to recognise and preserve the essential role wetlands can play in our fight against climate change. Together with Chevron Australia, we’re very excited to bring local communities together through the work of our Revive campaign to restore these important ecosystems for the benefit of nature and people.”

– Renae Riviere, CVA Revive Campaign Director 

The launch was celebrated at Bibra Lake, WA, as well as 7 other significant wetland sites across Australia.

 

Western Australia 

The flagship launch event took place at the Beeliar Wetlands in Bibra Lake alongside local council representatives and team members from both CVA and Chevron Australia.

Local Noongar Elder Marie Taylor opened the event with a smoking ceremony and welcome to country, encouraging guests to be still and observe the many sights and sounds of the area, whilst Nyungar Tours founder Kerry-Ann later shared how Aboriginal people used wetlands throughout history.

Hon Reece Whitby MLA, Minister of Environment, Josh Wilson MP and Chevron Environment Specialist Andrew Graham assisted Blue Carbon Scientist, Dr Cristian Salinas, in sampling blue carbon at Bibra Lake wetlands.

 

Tasmania 

We began with a World Wetlands weekend extravaganza in Hobart with 5 events.

Early risers on Saturday were taken on a journey of lanya (water) learning at piyura kitina (Risdon Cove), led by Jye and Dewayne from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.

Moving online, Dr. Vishnu Prahalad from the University of Tasmania and Jess Lucas from Huon Valley Council demonstrated how to utilise the Saltmarsh matters app – an important citizen science tool for recording information on Tasmanian saltmarshes.

Later, participants took a tour of Rosscommon Reserve artificial wetland, where volunteers saw a thriving example of humans working with nature, transforming what was once a dusty paddock into a thriving wetland, which now provided habitat for local animals and helps protect local houses from floods.

Sunday morning saw a huge turnout to the weeding bee at Browns River in partnership with the Kingston Beach Coast Care group. In just under 2 hours, volunteers removed a whopping 100kg of weeds from around recent native plantings. They then headed north and took to removing rubbish, with over 80kgs being removed from Foreshore Reserve, Windemere Bay.

 

Queensland

We teamed up with Gladstone Regional Council to plant native wetland plants which had been propagated from seed collected the site at Oaks Road Tannum Sands. This was the third consecutive World Wetland Day planting at this site and everyone was impressed with the how the site is progressing, the commitment to ongoing activities and the wonderful morning tea.

On Coochiemudlo Island, participants were met with a Welcome to Country by Quandamooka representative Matt Burns followed by an insightful talk from the QLD Chief Scientist Professor Hugh Possingham. Participants then slipped on their gloves to take part in a bush regeneration workshop in the Melaleuca Wetlands led by Bushtekniq, followed by an afternoon tea hosted by Coochiemudlo Island Coast Care.

 

New South Wales

Sydneysiders were welcomed to Eora Country by Allen Madden before taking a tour of the Landing Lights Wetland, with local expert, Dr. Arthur White and a bird watching session led by Greg McLachlan. Volunteers were then able to actively help revive the wetlands they just learnt about by getting involved in removing weeds from the area. Volunteers were joined by Dr Christina Curry, Mayor of Bayside Council and Hon. Linda Murney – Member for Barton.

 

South Australia

Our event in Adelaide started with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Kaurna elder Tamaru Smith, followed by a biodiversity and bird watching tour with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Wetland Team, Danny, Roland, and Chris.

 

Victoria 

In Barwon Heads, after Stephanie Skinner’s beautiful Welcome to Country, we hit the water with Alex and Harry from the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre, on guided canoe tour through some of the mangroves of the Lower Barwon River. The event also included seine netting surveys, to help ID and share knowledge on an array of aquatic species. Participants on dry land carried out bird surveys and identified 18 different species utilising the wetlands and surrounds.