It’s time to rescue our rivers
Victoria’s picturesque rivers, streams and adjoining land have been and remain in a state of decline, however following the release of new research, the states’ waterways are set to be improved through the rebuilding of natural vegetation.
Victoria is unique in that it still has significant areas of riparian land, or land that is surrounded by natural water resources, in public ownership, however nearly 80 per cent of the total length of Victoria’s rivers is in moderate to very poor condition.
Riverside Rescue, a new report involving Monash University researchers, which was commissioned by the Victorian National Parks Association, has renewed concerns about the poor condition of our rivers.
One author, Professor Sam Lake from the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University, said while most riparian zones in Victoria are damaged, restoration projects have shown positive results.
“There are many reasons for riparian land degradation, but some of the main factors in Victoria include land clearance, livestock access, and the invasion of exotic plant and animal species,” said Professor Lake.
Cattle grazing around riversides has resulted in the banks becoming destabilised, leaving these areas prone to erosion.
“Research in many parts of the world including Australia has found that by excluding livestock, sheep and/or cattle from riparian areas and reintroducing native flora and fauna, water quality could potentially improve, therefore increasing the resistance and resilience of native species.
“We have seen improvements in areas that have begun the restoration process, and over the next couple of years we will potentially see large-scale positive results in and around the riparian zones of our experiment,” said Professor Lake.
While riparian land may only makes up a small area of Victoria’s landscape, it represents a substantial proportion of the remaining native vegetation in many rural districts, housing a large number of animals and plants that are not found elsewhere in the state.
The findings in Riverside Rescue show that well-managed riparian land can result in better water quality and healthier habitats for aquatic species, plants and animals.
The Victorian Government recognises this problem and the positive effects of healthy riparian land, and in 2014 they will have the opportunity to remove grazing licences along the state’s publicly owned riparian land and get cattle and sheep out of our river systems.
This report was a collaborative effort between the Monash University School of Biological Sciences, the Arthur Rylah Research Institute, the Monash Water Studies Centre and the Environment Defenders Office.