Restoration Plan
Summary

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Vision

The vision for the future of the catchment is to have:

an environmentally clean, balanced ecology supporting a prosperous community in which people respect each other's use of the catchment and waterways.

The vision represents the aspirations of the community. It recognises differing and changing values within the community where some people are deriving their living through agriculture, horticulture and tourism, while others as seeking improved semi-rural lifestyle values. The vision also reflects the importance of ecological systems for life support.

The Watershed Torbay project was initiated in 2001, in response to growing community concern about declining environmental health within the catchment. The project was formed to demonstrate an integrated approach to landuse and natural resource management at a catchment scale.

Three community forums were held within the catchment (at Elleker, Torbay and Redmond) during 2002. The purpose of these was to identify the environmental, social and economic issues for the catchment, to suggest possible solutions and to provide input into visions for the future of the catchment. Following the forums a postal survey of catchment landholders was conducted. A third of households responded and provided further input to guide the development of the restoration plan.

Most people within the catchment consider that action is required, particularly in relation to:

  • the increased incidence of algal blooms in wetlands and watercourses in the lower catchment
  • management of drainage
  • loss of lifestyle quality for residents over several months of the year during blooms
  • degradation of streams
  • meeting Albany's drinking water requirements.

The community priorities for issues raised during the community forums and survey have been the basis for development of seven themes for management in the restoration plan. They are:

  1. Algal blooms and water quality
  2. Water quantity
  3. Drainage management
  4. Habitat and biodiversity management
  5. Farming systems
  6. Landuse planning
  7. Community education and communication