EXCITEMENT is building as moves to establish a wetland reserve in Sanctuary Point progress.
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The land borders Larmer Avenue and the Cockcrow Creek area and has sat unused for years.
Many people would not realise it contains significant flora and fauna species of environmental importance and has potential to be a great community asset.
The project was discussed recently at a Basin Community Forum meeting.
The forum, Shoalhaven City Council and BirdLife Shoalhaven are among the groups looking to ensure the land is protected and in some areas rehabilitated.
Long-serving Basin forum member Maureen Webb said it was an exciting project.
“It’s going to be a wonderful asset,” she said.
Mrs Webb said it would not only benefit the local community but would also be a drawcard for visitors.
BirdLife Shoalhaven’s conservation officer Chris Grounds has spent much of his time on site, compiling a catalogue of the birds.
“This is a little environmental gem,” he said.
Since March 2014, Mr Grounds has catalogued an impressive 68 birds on the site, including a number of endangered species, including the eastern osprey and square-tailed kite.
At the meeting, Mr Grounds presented a photographic catalogue of birds.
Recently he walked around the area with council’s senior environmental planner Elizabeth Dixon.
His passion for the project was obvious as he regularly stopped to point out different bird and plants species.
“I rarely come down here and don’t see something different,” he said.
He explained about how the plant species flowered at different times – giving the bird life the food they needed to survive.
The environmental planner, who has spent much time on the land, said it was a positive project for the Sanctuary Point community.
She stressed the project relied on council being able to sell the biobank credits for the site.
“Council sees this as a wonderful opportunity to create a really special place for the Sanctuary Point community,” she said.
“Council is keen to gather ideas from the community about conservation actions which could be built into this project.
“Biobanking is a way for the Larmer Avenue land to generate an income so it can be well managed into the future.
“Biobanking can fund management actions like weed control, formalisation of tracks and feral animal control.
“Once we have collated the community’s ideas we will cost up the management actions.
“These actions can only commence once we have a buyer for our credits.”
The outcome of the biobanking assessment suggests the majority of the site is covered.
Parts of the land may need rehabilitation as sections were cleared in the 1970s and a canal carved into it as part of a defunct development.