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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Biodiversity Assessment - Nsw North Coast
Important Wetlands
| Wetland name | Ramsar wetland (yes/no) |
Condition | Trend | Threatening processes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarence Basin (NNC11) | |||||
| Bundjalung National Park (NSW026) | No | Good (Recovery requires little intervention) | Declining | Changed hydrology - other | Potential threat from future dredging of the Esk River |
| Exotic weeds | "Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera var. rotunda), Groundsel Bush (Baccharis halimifolia), Lantana (Lantana camara), and Yellow Cassia (Senna pendula var. glabrata) " | ||||
| Feral animals | "Foxes, feral cats, feral dogs, and pigs." | ||||
| Other - describe | 4wd vehicles along the frontal dune systems | ||||
| Clarence River Estuary (NSW027) | No | Fair (Recovery requires significant intervention) | Declining | Changed hydrology - other | "Flood mitigation works, dredging, sedimentation, filling and draining of wetlands" |
| Exotic weeds | Water Hyacinth (Eichiornia crassipes) and Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) | ||||
| Grazing pressure | Compaction | ||||
| Other - describe | Trawling; development of port resulting in increased shipping; recreation activities Urban development |
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| Pollution | Acid sulphate soils; chemical runoff from agricultural activities | ||||
| Cowans Pond Reserve (NSW107) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Exotic weeds | Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) |
| Feral animals | Cat (Felis catus) Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Hare (Lepus carpensis) |
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| Grazing pressure | |||||
| Pollution | Runoff from agricultural lands | ||||
| Everlasting Swamp (NSW030) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Rapidly declining | Changed hydrology - other | Swamp hydrology has been significantly altered by drainage and flood mitigation works |
| Exotic weeds | "Weed Species present within the swamp include the Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), Cape Waterlily (Nymphaea capensis), Spike-rush (Eleocharis minuta) " | ||||
| Other - describe | Fences and drains dissect the swamp | ||||
| Pollution | Acid sulphate soils | ||||
| Lake Hiawatha and Minnie Water (NSW031) | No | Near pristine | Static | Feral animals | "Introduced Mosquito Fish may cause disruption in the natural functioning of the lake ecosystem. Foxes, cats, dogs, feral horses and pigs occur in small numbers " |
| Other - describe | Lakes used as source of local water. | ||||
| The Broadwater (NSW036) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Rapidly declining | Exotic weeds | Water Hyacinth (Eichiornia crassipes) |
| Other - describe | Urban development along fringes and in the catchment. | ||||
| Pollution | Acid sulphate soils | ||||
| Tuckean Swamp (NSW185) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Rapidly declining | Changed fire regimes | The swamp has become prone to peat fires. |
| Changed hydrology - other | Lowering the water table through drainage | ||||
| Exotic weeds | "The exotic Cape Water Lily is an abundant weed in the drains, requiring periodical clearing." | ||||
| Grazing pressure | Cattle grazing and trampling restrict natural regeneration of native vegetation and lead to soil erosion along the drain banks. | ||||
| Pollution | Acid sulphate soils have been exposed as a result of the lowered water table through drainage | ||||
| Upper Coldstream (NSW037) | No | Fair (Recovery requires significant intervention) | Declining | Changed hydrology - other | |
| Exotic weeds | |||||
| Grazing pressure | |||||
| Wooloweyah Lagoon (NSW039) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Rapidly declining | Changed hydrology - other | Morphology of the lagoon has been modified by flood mitigation and localised dredging |
| Grazing pressure | Grazing in catchment | ||||
| Other - describe | Agriculture in catchment; trawling; aquaculture Urban and resort development which modifies the morphology of the lagoon |
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| Pollution | Acid sulphate soils; chemical runoff from agricultural activities | ||||
| Manning - Macleay (NNC2) | |||||
| Barrington Tops Swamps (NSW025) | No | Good (Recovery requires little intervention) | Declining | Changed hydrology - other | Altered drainage in Horse swamp and Polblue swamp by roads and tracks which cross inlets and outlets Horse swamp and Polblue swamp have had their drainage pattern changed by the construction of roads or tracks across their inlet/outlets |
| Exotic weeds | Invasion of swamps by Scotch Broom Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) |
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| Feral animals | "Feral pigs, foxes and horses" Cat (Felis catus) Cattle (Bos taurus) Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Horse (Equus caballus) Pig (Sus scrofa) Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Rat (Rattus rattus) |
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| Other - describe | Low level recreational impact from camping and bushwalkers Minor impacts from logging in surrounding forests |
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| Pollution | Small impact from camping and bushwalking | ||||
| Clybucca Creek Estuary (NSW028) | No | Fair (Recovery requires significant intervention) | Declining | Exotic weeds | Especially Lantana camara |
| Grazing pressure | |||||
| Pollution | Agricultural runoff | ||||
| Crowdy Bay National Park (NSW029) | No | Near pristine | Static | Exotic weeds | Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) is a threat to native plant and animal species. |
| Grazing pressure | Illegal grazing within park | ||||
| Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve (NSW032) | No | Good (Recovery requires little intervention) | Declining | Exotic weeds | The main weed species include Lantana (Lantana camara) and Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) |
| Feral animals | "Feral animals within the reserve include feral cats, foxes, rats, house mouse, feral dogs, honeybees and occasionally stray cattle." | ||||
| Myall Lakes (NSW033) | No | Fair (Recovery requires significant intervention) | Declining | Other - describe | Camping around the edge of the lakes causing vegetation loss and shore erosion; agricultural runoff; power-boating on the lakes and river; vehicular access in a number of environmentally sensitive areas in the park; commercial prawning and fishing |
| Pollution | "Susceptible to pollution and damage by overuse because of the relatively small catchment area, the shallowness of the water, and the lack of tidal flush. " | ||||
| Port Stephens Estuary (NSW034) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Extinction | Changed hydrology - other | "Drainage and development of swamps, mining, and sedimentation of wetlands from surrounding landuse activities" |
| Exotic weeds | "Weed species include Lantana (Lantana camara), Purple Top (Verbena bonariensis), Prickly Pear (Opuntia stricta), Madeira Vine (Andredera cordifolia), Fleabanes (Conyza spp.), and Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera)" | ||||
| Feral animals | Feral animals include the Black Rat and the Fox | ||||
| Other - describe | |||||
| Pollution | Treated sewerage is discharged directly into the estuary; pollution from surrounding landuse activities | ||||
| Salt Ash Air Weapons Range (NSW178) | No | Good (Recovery requires little intervention) | Static | Exotic weeds | Paddy?s lucerne (Sida rhombifolia) |
| Feral animals | Fox (Vulpes vulpes) | ||||
| Pollution | Arising from Department of Defence activities | ||||
| Solitary Islands Marine Park (NSW109) | No | Good (Recovery requires little intervention) | Static | Other - describe | Boat anchors can damage coral reefs Fishing, both recreational and commercial |
| Pollution | Runoff from urban and industrial areas onshore Sewage disposal |
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| Swan Pool / Belmore Swamp (NSW035) | No | Fair (Recovery requires significant intervention) | Declining | Changed hydrology - other | Draining |
| Exotic weeds | Salvinia molesta | ||||
| Feral animals | "Feral animals include feral cats (Felis catus), Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), introduced rats (Rattus spp.), and the House Mouse (Mus musculus) " | ||||
| Grazing pressure | |||||
| Wallis Lake and adjacent estuarine islands (NSW038) | No | Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term) | Rapidly declining | Changed hydrology - other | Various entrance works have been constructed to improve the navigability of both the entrance and estuarine channels for larger ocean going trawlers. The construction of twin breakwaters at the entrance to the lagoon has resulted in a change in the |
| Exotic weeds | Localised infestations of Lantana (Lantana camara) and Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) occur in restricted areas on Wallis Island | ||||
| Feral animals | "Feral animals present in the area include the Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Feral Cat (Felis catus) and the Black Rat (Rattus rattus)." | ||||
| Other - describe | The area is heavily fished for commercial purposes. | ||||
| Murwillumbah (NNC13) | |||||
| Billinudgel Nature Reserve (NSW105) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Exotic weeds | Groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia) Molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora) |
| Other - describe | Acid sulphate soils | ||||
| Pollution | Runoff from agricultural lands | ||||
| Cook Island Nature Reserve (NSW106) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Exotic weeds | Wandering jew (Tradescantia fluminensis) |
| Cudgen Nature Reserve (NSW108) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Changed hydrology - other | Increased flooding from Cudgen lake?s entrance being permanently open |
| Exotic weeds | Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monifilera) Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) Crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) Fishbone fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia) Groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia) Lantana (Lantana camara) Mist weed (Ageratina riparia) Pine (Pinus taeda) Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) |
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| Feral animals | Cane toad (Bufo marinus) Cat (Felis catus) Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Rat (Rattus rattus) |
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| Other - describe | Acid sulphate soils Growth of urban area around the reserve |
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| Pollution | Nutrients and other runoff from agricultural lands | ||||
| Stotts Island Nature Reserve (NSW110) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Exotic weeds | Cats claw (Macfadyena unguis-cati) Lantana (Lantana camara) Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia) Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) |
| Feral animals | Cane toad (Bufo marinus) Cat (Felis catus) Dog (Canis familiaris) Rat (Rattus rattus) |
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| Pollution | Runoff from agricultural lands | ||||
| Ukerebagh Nature Reserve (NSW111) | No | Unknown | Unknown | Exotic weeds | Asparagus fern (Protasparagus spp.) Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monifilera) Groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia) Lantana (Lantana camara) Morning glory (Ipomoea cairica) Ochna (Ochna serrulata) Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) Winter senna (Senna pendula) |
| Feral animals | Cane toad (Bufo marinus) Cat (Felis catus) Dog (Canis familiaris) Fox (Vulpes vulpes) |
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| Other - describe | Erosion | ||||
| Pollution | Both urban and agricultural runoff | ||||
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