Urban billabong restoration benefits from Traditional Owner involvement and regular flooding
Joe Greet
A * , Rephael Lankri B , Sarah Gaskill C , Sarah Fischer A , Delta Lucille Freedman B , Tiana Preston C and Narrap Unit Rangers B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Richmond, Vic. 3121, Australia.
B Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Abbotsford, Vic. 3067, Australia.
C Melbourne Water, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.
Marine and Freshwater Research 74(4) 398-408 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF22195
Submitted: 17 September 2022 Accepted: 2 January 2023 Published: 30 January 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Floodplain wetlands (e.g. billabongs) in urban environments have significant ecological and cultural value, yet are often highly degraded. Impacts such as reduced flooding and weed invasion continue to threaten these critical ecosystems. Both ecological and Indigenous people’s knowledge are important for urban billabong restoration.
Aims: Our project aimed to (1) assess the response of billabong vegetation to flooding, and (2) increase the role of local Traditional Owners in billabong management.
Methods: Over 3 years, a team of wetland ecologists and local Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Narrap (‘Country’) Rangers surveyed responses of understorey vegetation and the condition and flowering of remnant river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) to flooding across seven degraded billabongs adjacent to the Birrarung (Yarra River) in Melbourne, Australia. Knowledge sharing during ‘On Country’ days guided restoration targets and management direction.
Key results: Regular (at least 2 in 3 years) and longer-duration (up to 8 months) flooding promoted native wetland plants, supressed weeds, and improved the condition and reproductive output of river red gums. Monitoring by Indigenous Rangers facilitated the cultural practice of caring for Country.
Conclusions: Regular flooding and Traditional Owner involvement promotes billabong health.
Implications: Collaborative research and knowledge sharing with Traditional Owners advances wetland restoration practice and improves care of Country.
Keywords: billabongs, Birrarung, cultural water, environmental water, Indigenous Rangers, traditional ecological knowledge, wetland restoration, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Yarra River.
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