Act Now!
The Moolap Wetlands and Former Saltworks Environmental Management Masterplan (EMM) is open for public comment until Tuesday 4 March. Visit Engage Victoria for details of the plan and an opportunity to give feedback.
We see the key values of the site to be
- Critical Bird habitat is the key and No 1 priority for the site.
- Water Management and Vegetation/Ecosystem priorities should support Critical Bird habitat priorities and benefits the whole ecosystem.
- Moolap Saltworks has been a site of international importance for many species of migratory and endemic shorebirds for decades as clearly shown by quality datasets gathered by GFNC members over more than 40 years. Site degradation has led to a decrease in bird numbers and species diversity in recent years, though it remains important a drought refuge for many species for feeding and roosting. Amenable to improvement again.
- It is one of the most important Fairy Tern and Little Tern breeding and roosting sites in Port Phillip and Victoria.
- The site requires a mosaic of different pond salinities and depths to support the greatest diversity of birds, which have different feeding adaptations. Some ponds need to be left completely dry for tern nesting, or dry shell grit ‘islands’ in shallow water.