“Community engagement and environmental monitoring to protect and restore critical habitat.”

The Coastal Environment Centre has secured a grant to fund project work in the catchment, to increase community awareness of the value of this important ecosystem as well as how to protect it.  The project is supported by funds from the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority and the Federal Government under the Caring for Our Country program and will run through to April 2011.

Mullet Creek catchment is unique and needs your help to protect it from rural and urban pressures:

• The largest remaining sandplain wetland in Sydney.
• The largest remaining stand of Swamp Mahogany in Sydney.
• Home to 3 endangered ecological communities of vegetation.
• Over 20 threatened species of fauna including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
• Over 150 species of birds including some 10 migratory species.

This project helps fund a number of partners to work together to improve the overall condition of the catchment, undertaking a variety of activities :

• Ingleside Riders – rabbit control and bushcare.
• Ingleside Scouts – bush regeneration, weed mapping and water quality monitoring.
• Ingleside Landcare – bird monitoring in the upper catchment.
• North Narrabeen Primary School – excursions and bush care site with planting and family education.
• Warriewood Wetland Bushcare – monitoring to assist in biological control of salvinia water weed.
• CEC water quality monitoring volunteers – monitoring water quality and macro invertebrates in 4 sites.

For more information on this and other projects supported by the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority, visit the website.

Some simple things you can do to help protect this wonderful area

What happens upstream in a catchment affects the creek downstream. Weed, seeds and pollutants are easily transported down through the catchment and stormwater drains to end up in the creek and wetlands. By some simple actions, you can improve the health of this dynamic creek ecosystem!

Do

• Put weeds, lawn & garden clippings in compost or vegetation bins.
• Protect wildlife by keeping dogs on a lead and cats inside at night.
• Use No-Phosphate detergents, slow release fertilisers and low-toxic garden sprays.
• Wash your car on the lawn and contain any oil leakage.
• Encourage native animals: plant local native plants; install a frog pond, nest box or rocks and logs for lizards.
• Cover bare soil or sand with a tarp, mulch or plants. Repair erosion.

Don’t

• Don’t use snail bait or toxic garden chemicals – they kill native fauna.
• Don’t wash your car on a driveway.
• Don’t dump rubbish, oil or chemicals.
• Don’t put garden waste or cuttings close to creeks, bushland or drains