New Australian Government research will help protect internationally important wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin.
The Murray-Darling Basin Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Project looked at how climate change is affecting 3 Ramsar-listed wetlands.
We worked with Australia's national science research agency, CSIRO, on the research.
The study focused on the:
- Macquarie Marshes in northern New South Wales
- Riverland wetlands on the Murray River in South Australia
- Barmah Forest on the New South Wales-Victoria border.
The research shows these wetlands are already under stress from uneven water flows. Climate change is making this worse. Hotter and drier weather is likely to put more pressure on wetlands and wildlife that depends on them.
These risks were one of the reasons the wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes were listed as critically endangered earlier this year.
The project worked with local communities and wetland managers. Together, they looked at practical ways to help wetlands stay healthy and adapt to a changing climate. The results of this work are now being used at other wetlands in the Basin and across Australia. They will help guide how environmental water is used so that every drop has the most benefit.
The Murray-Darling Basin has 16 wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention. They are recognised for their value to wildlife, threatened species and the natural environment.
