On January 2020, the #VicWetlandRehab team was back on our Western Port site to continue monitoring work!

Due to the devastating bushfires that were burning in south eastern Victoria, field work conditions were very smoky. The site was very dry compared to when we were there in October 2019.

The team was out in the field monitoring greenhouse gas fluxes on 32 plots. These plots included sites with 12-year restored saltmarsh, 2-year restored saltmarsh, a rehabilitation site (to be fenced!), and pasture grazed on by cattle.

Scientists also surveyed vegetation across the various treatment sites. Getting seasonal vegetation surveys allows plant ecologist to see how vegetation change over the year, and gives us a well represented baseline of what is currently occurring in the different treatment sites.

Volunteers from Birdlife Bass Coast undertook summer bird surveys. They completed 20 min survey in each treatment sites recording the bird abundance, species richness and behaviour. The silver gull was the most abundant bird, mainly observed in the 12-year restored saltmarsh.

Fencing installation will be start in the next weeks ! Stay tuned for photos and updates on the fencing.