Barmah Wetland System Environmental Monitoring Program Part A: Background Information

"November 2005".

Project Number: Development of Barmah Wetland Monitoring Program - M/BUS/90.

MDFRC item.

Part A of 2 part report (see Barmah Wetland System Environmental Monitoring Program Part B: Monitoring Program).

Purpose, position and scope of this study - the purpose of this project is to develop a comprehensive and flexible environmental monitoring program for Barmah Forest that incorporates adaptive management principles and meets current policy and management requirements. The five tasks of the Consultancy Brief to develop the monitoring program are listed in Appendix A. This report is an advisory document to the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. It is intended to inform the Victorian Government’s contribution to the development of an environmental monitoring program in future reviews of the Barmah-Millewa Significant Ecological Asset: Asset Environmental Management Plan (MDBC, 2005). It will also inform the development of an updated Water Management Plan for Barmah Forest. The Water Management Plan will also be guided from inputs from three other concurrent studies including a Barmah Forest Issues and Options report (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems) that details different water management approaches to sustain the floodplain vegetation communities of Barmah Forest, a Barmah-Millewa Forest Hydrodynamic Model (Water Technology) and a Barmah Forest Community Engagement and Communication Strategy. The broad scope of the environmental monitoring program is to relate strongly to water management. The monitoring of activities such as logging is considered to be outside the scope of the monitoring program. Report structure - The Barmah Wetland System Environmental Monitoring Program consists of two stand-alone documents. Part A (this document) provides background information relating to environmental objectives and targets determined for Barmah Forest through the various policies, plans, strategies, agreements and pieces of legislation that govern or influence its management. It also reviews past and current monitoring programs at Barmah Forest. Part B (separate document) details a comprehensive and flexible environmental monitoring program for the Barmah wetland system that considers the information of Part A and incorporates it into an adaptive monitoring framework.