Birds that call SA Coorong home get $10M helping hand

The Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin's On-Ground Works project aims to improve the availability and quality of habitat for migratory and non-migratory shorebirds at priority wetlands in the Lower Lakes.

Small-scale wetland management infrastructure will be constructed at three priority wetland sites at Tolderol, Waltowa and Teringie with regulators, pumps, pipes and earth works put in place to manage water levels to improve the extent, quality and duration of inundation.

The $10M investment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes is on top of $70M lready funded and will support local jobs and the community through work on maintaining and repairing iconic wetlands.

Federal Resources and Water Minister Keith Pitt said to maintain and improve the health of this iconic site, it was critical that these interventions are made to improve food availability across key wetlands.

"This capital investment supports direct and flow-on economic benefits to local communities - including 72 full time equivalent jobs.

"By working to increase the availability of shallow wading habitats, this project will provide jobs and support greater numbers of shorebirds by providing important refuge habitat for species that would otherwise use the Coorong South Lagoon."

He said most importantly this project will create local jobs while protecting our precious wetlands. This is a win for the local economies and the environment.

SA Environment and Water Minister David Speirs said the project would provide foraging habitats for seven target waterbird species, including the common greenshank, curlew sandpiper, sharp-tailed sandpiper and red-capped plover.

"Once the infrastructure is in place there will be a significant increase of shorebird habitat of similar type to the Coorong South Lagoon.

"Upon completion, we expect this will provide more than 260 hectares of high-quality habitat with carrying capacity for more than 15,000 of the seven target species."

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This project is part of SA's Project Coorong initiative, which is taking action to restore the health, vitality and visitor experience of the Coorong through environmental projects to get the Coorong back on track and initiatives to boost eco-tourism.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin said the Coorong was an internationally recognised Ramsar-listed wetland and a national park that welcomes thousands of domestic and international visitors each year.

"It's a delicate eco-system supporting many significant and endangered flora and fauna.

"Improving the Coorong's waterbird habitat is critical, not only for the biodiversity of this iconic environmental asset but also the tourism offer that is so important to the local economy".

The Regional Bird Refugia Project is widely supported by the community who agree that wetland management or restoration in the Coorong region is a priority.

Construction is expected to commence later next year.

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