Adaptation to support Old Bar beach vegetation

Anyone living at Old Bar, or visiting regularly, will be astounded by the amount of coastal recession taking place. Some 30-50 metres has been lost over the past 35 years, sometimes gradually and sometimes over just a few hours of stormy seas, heavy runoff and high tide. The effect on the remnant littoral rainforest is obvious too, with may dead trees and loss of canopy due to salt scalding resulting from erosion of protective foredunes and vegetation.

Manning Coastcare Group volunteers have been working throughout this period to preserve the rainforest and increase its resilience by weeding and strategic planting of native species.This, naturally, also supports the animals, birds and insects that call the forest home. It also aids the integrity of the corridor of vegetation right along our coast which is threatened not only by erosion but also by the ‘squeeze’ of development and all its consequences. Clearly these challenges are going to be even greater over time through the effects of climate change and associated sea level rise.

The MidCoast Council Manning Point Old Bar Coastal Management Program was recently certified by the NSW Government and is an important source of information and data on how these changes may progress. Coastcare has contributed to the development of the plan and is working with council staff on a Vegetation Strategy which will enable the whole community to contribute to preserving the littoral rainforest corridor.

A recent workshop in Old Bar, organised by the MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare Connection with the support of state government funding, brought experts Graham Creed, meteorologist, and bush regenerator Peter Dixon together with on-ground workers to share information and experience, and discuss the best way forward. The workshop included a visit to the forest and beach for firsthand observation of the likely real-world effects of climate change. Adaptation and flexibility were the key messages. Although science can make valuable predictions, we don’t really know what’s going to happen in the future - but we can be prepared. By helping existing ecosystems strengthen to become more resilient we can hopefully preserve these Threatened Ecological Communities for future generations to enjoy.

The workshop facilitated discussion of the scientific and community values of coastal environments and how we can safeguard them and build future climate resilience. Coastcare, in consultation with MidCoast Council, is already working on innovative solutions to preserve the ecological function of littoral rainforest in our landscape. One project involves identifying potential retreat zones for remnant littoral rainforests which are not blocked by infrastructure and housing development. Mapping and species identification is followed by weed management and selective planting of local native species.

Another initiative is encouraging community and public space planting of threatened rainforest species. The loss of beaches, sand dunes and littoral rainforest can be overwhelming and result in despondency for Coastcare volunteers and members of the community alike. Acknowledging the threats and having a plan and activities to deal with them provides us all with hope and aspiration. It’s not a quick fix, it will take decades, but the time to act is now and action is being taken.

Anne Rorke

Secretary.manningcoastcare@gmail.com

Web: www.midcoast2tops.org.au/manning-coastcare

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manningcoastcare

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