Waterfront plan has estuary impacts
The Central Coast Branch of the ACF has called into question the integrity of the Woy Woy waterfront masterplan and its protection of the intertidal area described as wetlands in the plan.
This plan is supposed to be holistic.
However, has it considered previous management plans that include the Brisbane water estuaries management plan, the Woy Woy Peninsula Climate adaptation study, the current PlaySpace strategy and current state government coastal management policies on wetlands?
The Brisbane Water estuaries study recognised that human uses in the estuaries have resulted in conflict between the recreational use and enjoyment of the foreshore as well as degradation of the natural environment.
Any suggestion of a boardwalk in this area must be rejected to protect the mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes that are known to perform a range of critical ecological functions.
These habitats are also associated with high diversity rates and an abundance of fish and invertebrate fauna.
The maintenance of the vegetation structure was highlighted in this study as a crucial component of biodiversity conservation.
The Council was asked if they included the impacts of climate change and the proposed increases in estuarine water levels over time.
The Council's response to this was: It is just a 10-year plan, and climate impacts will not be an issue.
With the potential shift in the intertidal zone and the implications for managing pedestrians and intertidal vegetation, the Council's response is pure neglect and wasted money.
This is evident in the removal of the Pelican Park playground as well as the construction of a walkway that will not be maintained by a cash strpped council.
SOURCE:
Email, 26 Jun 2022
Mark Ellis, Woy Woy