Change Marsh Management for Better Use of Water26, September 2007
September 26th 2007 “Australians need to become better managers of water if we hope to leave a better environment for our children” said Don Burke, chairman of the Australian Environment Foundation. Mr Burke was commenting on arrival in the central west NSW town of Warren before travelling to the Macquarie Marshes to launch a book on the ecology of the marshes. “Competition for water has left parts of the marshes in a degraded state and this situation has not been helped by diverse ownership of the one ecosystem. Diversions of environmental water flows appear to be uncontrolled and a poor use of the available resource” said Mr Burke. “Claims that more and more water is required for the marshes are based on the current poor management of this iconic wetland. The Iemma government should be using some of the money set aside under the Wetlands Recovery Program and also for water allocations to purchase key areas of the marshes for management by conservation groups like The Australian Wildlife Conservancy or Bush Heritage. These organisations manage land for environmental outcomes. These are issues that are well explored in the book I am launching today at the marshes. The Australian Environment Foundation hopes this book by Gillian Hogendyk will be the catalyst to focus attention on the remedies required to return the marshes to a world class wetland that Australians can be proud of” concluded Mr Burke. Media Contact: Max Rheese 0428 621320
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