Rainbow over Camel’s Hump Conservation reserve.

Manning Coastcare- Future Preparedness Strategy

Climate Change, Coastcare, Erosion, Latest News

Future Preparedness Strategy

Manning Coastcare is active in Community Reference Groups for Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) being developed by MidCoast Council. The CMPs set the long-term strategy for the coordinated management of the local coast which has suffered considerable erosion and shoreline recession over many years. As the influence of climate change and sea-level rise continues to shape coastlines across the world the impacts are likely to become more severe.

Remnants of littoral rainforest, an Endangered Ecological Community under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, occur throughout the Mid North Coast. As part of its anniversary project ‘30 years past, 30 years future’, Coastcare is developing climate preparedness and adaptation strategies to support not only local threatened ecological communities but also the volunteers who work to preserve them.

This coastal rainforest, already heavily impacted by sand mining, development and fire, is increasingly exposed to wind and salt scalding as the protective foredunes and vegetation are removed by erosion. As a result, dieback of trees and changing understory can be clearly seen throughout the coastal zone.

Coastcare, in consultation with MidCoast Council, is looking for innovative solutions to preserve the ecological function of littoral rainforest in our landscape. One project involves identifying potential retreat zones for remnant littoral rainforests which are not blocked by infrastructure and housing development. Mapping and species identification is being followed by weed management and selective planting of locally indigenous species. Another initiative is encouraging community and public space planting of these threatened rainforest species.

The loss of beaches, sand dunes and littoral rainforest can be overwhelming and result in despondency for Coastcare volunteers and communities alike. Acknowledging the threats and having a plan and activities to deal with them provides us all with hope and aspiration.

It’s not a quick fix, it will take decades, but the time to act is now and action is being taken.



 

Written by Anne Rorke, Secretary, Manning Coastcare

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