Multiple use of urbanwaterways: a local government perspective of wetlands rehabilitation and re-creation

Abstract

Increasing responsibility, through State Government policies and pressure from local communities, is continuing to force Local government to address major environmental issues. The State Government's Floodplain Management Policies, for example, all charge local councils with the primary responsibility for management and rehabilitation of these areas. Coupled with this responsibility is a growing community awareness of environmental issues, particularly those in their immediate and local areas, with the growing expectation that major problems, such as deteriorating water quality, will be addressed in the short term. The challenge facing local councils, therefore, is to effectively respond to the community and accept their statutory responsibilities in regard to environmental issues, and to undertake these activities within normal time and resource constraints. One method of dealing with this challenge is through the multiple use of urban waterways. That is, the use of urban waterways to address a range of objectives, such as minimising flood damage, improving water quality, enhancing aquatic and terrestrial habitat values and improving recreational opportunities in and around those waterways. A key component of this multiple use approach is the rehabilitation, creation and/or re-creation of wetlands.