Wetlands are important features in our urban landscapes. Urban wetlands can act as pollutant traps and provide cooling benefits and recreation opportunities for city-dwellers. They are also critical to the conservation and recovery of many species found in cities, including threatened species.
Many cities in Australia were founded on wetlands and waterways that are integral to Indigenous history and culture. These wetlands and waterways are Indigenous places of immense cultural value and meaning, including those that may have ‘disappeared’ or run channelled under our streets.
Wetlands have featured in several of the CAUL hub’s research investigations because of their significance in urban systems. A new report summarises the hub’s research covering the role of urban wetlands in threatened-species conservation, the threats that affect urban wetland habitats, possible actions to restore and enhance wetlands in cities and towns, and the importance of urban wetlands as Indigenous places.
Research highlights included interviews with urban land managers. These found several examples of local government and community groups working together to convert under-used urban spaces into biodiversity-friendly wetlands. These projects are an excellent illustration of how new wetland spaces can be created within heavily urbanised areas.
Image: A neglected drainage ditch in central Melbourne was converted into a chain of biodiversity-friendly wetlands. The image shows the ditch after restoration. Photo: Westgate Biodiversity Bili Nursery and Landcare