Projects

Examples of Project Development and Management Plans

Michael Wood, a horticulturist by trade, an environmental scientist by profession and a re-constructionist by vocation has headed up a number ground-breaking restoration projects.  Each of the project examples listed below required specific approaches, partnership, resources and methodologies and were delivered for Richmond River Valley local councils, private industry and a Heritage Trust.

  • The development of Flood Risk mapping for the rural areas of the Richmond River floodplain with project consultants BMTWBM flood engineers.
  • Project managing the Review of Management Methodology for Flood Mitigation Assets on the Richmond and Clarence floodplains by Seaboard Consulting (Richmond River County Council and Clarence Valley Council)
  • Project Managing the options study for the long term management of the Tuckombil Canal. The fixed weir initiative stops blackwater flows into the Evans River from the mid Richmond River backswamps preventing large fish kills in the Evans. The weir also prevents saline incursion into the freshwaters of the Mid Richmond from the Evans River while maintaining a flood escape to alleviate flooding in the mid Richmond.
  • The development of a spatial water quality monitoring program for the mid Richmond River and a targeted datalogger water quality monitoring program to manage the two major flood mitigation systems at the Tuckean and Rocky Mouth Creek and water quality at an oyster lease in North Creek. The datalogger systems developed by Peak Environmental provide real time data to assist in managing water quality in large flood mitigation flood gated systems so they can be closed and opened at pre-determined critical water quality thresholds for aquatic life allowing fish escape in the initial flood period and closure of floodgates prior to full flood flows.
  • The rehabilitation and long term maintenance (which is critical to prevent reinfestation of wetlands) examples in the Richmond being: Mynumi Lagoon, Swan Bay, Bora Creek and Amphlett’s Lagoon
  • Plan of management for the Riley’s Hill Dry Dock Trust by Stephen Fletcher & Associates and MWA.
  • Acid Sulfate Soil Management in the Tuckean and Lower Bungawalbyn catchments  an case study of a lower Bungawalbyn catchment wetland at Bora-Codrington is featured below.

Case example: Lower Bungawalbyn catchment (Bora – Codrington area) acid sulfate soil management and wetland restoration.

 

bungawalbyn_before bungawalbyn_after
Figure 1: Photo Michael Wood Figure 2: Photo Garry Owers

The photo on the left was taken during my honours year (1997) at Southern Cross University in the School of Environmental Science and Management Southern Cross University. I was flown over the site by Rick Bowie (Bungawalbyn Landcare Group) to view the acid scalds, not knowing that in 2002 I would commence the implementation of rehabilitation works for the Wetland.

Following the 2002 drought and subsequent peat fires, I successfully applied for funding under the State Government floodplain program to address the Acid Drainage problem. Working with the Farm Manager, the wetland hydrology was reinstated by installing a series of rock weirs in drains to restore near natural groundwater conditions allowing native wetland vegetation to re-establish. The photo top right shows the dramatic change to a once severely acid sulphate soil affected wetland.