NO Houses in Wetlands campaigners will form a new friends group to work with City of Bayswater’s environmental officers to start rehabilitation works at Carter’s wetlands, which was bought by the City last week.
Bayswater mayor Dan Bull said the final settlement of the City’s $3.5 million purchase of the wetlands went through on October 24.
Funding for the purchase was provided by the City ($2 million from reserves) and the WA State Government ($1.5 million).
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWNo Houses in Wetlands spokeswoman Deborah Bowie said it was looking forward to beginning rehabilitation works at the wetlands, which had more than 50 mature Melaleuca trees destroyed as part of preliminary site works on the adjoining development.
Ms Bowie said campaigners wanted the State Government to review existing classifications of wetlands, reconvene the Wetland Co-ordinating Committee and ratify and implement the guidelines for the Determination of Wetland Buffer Requirements.
A Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions spokeswoman said the State Government was in the process of reviewing the mapping of wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain as part of the Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel Region and information would be finalised at the end of the year.
The spokeswoman said the Wetlands Coordinating Committee last met in August 2017.
Cr Bull said the initial priority was to brief the new councillors on the background to the purchase.
“Friends of groups are made up of local passionate volunteers who dedicate their time for the betterment of our natural environment… the City is a better place as a consequence,” he said.
“We will also need to consider any priority works that may be needed as part of our next review of the City’s Corporate Business Plan and subsequent budgets.
“Once that has been done, we will be in a better position to consider the way forward, including determining opportunities that there may be for community involvement.”
MORE: What is WAfoodies? Why are we doing it?
MORE: Halloween warning from police
