Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve
| Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve Dubbo | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°38′24″S 147°41′31″E / 30.64000°S 147.69194°E |
| Established | January 1971[2] |
| Area | 198.24 km2 (76.5 sq mi)[2] |
| Website | Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve |
| Footnotes | |
| Official name | Macquarie Marshes |
| Designated | 1 August 1986 |
| Reference no. | 337[3] |
| See also | Protected areas of New South Wales |
The Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve is a
The Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve is the core of the Macquarie Marshes. It is the area most frequently flooded and contains samples of all the habitat types present in the Marshes. Nevertheless, there are large and significant wetland areas outside the nature reserve, including extensive river red gum areas and some of the largest rookeries in the Marshes.[4]
Natural significance
The marshes are created by irregular flooding of the flat lands along the river. The nature reserve extends over an area of almost 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres), approximately 10% of the Macquarie Marshes
Flora and fauna
The wetlands contain a wide range of vegetation types, primarily determined by the frequency and duration of flooding. The dominant types are
Threats
The nature reserve covers only a small part of the marsh area. The rest of it is private agricultural holdings, utilised for the grazing of cattle and sheep, and cropping. The frequency and extent of the flooding required to sustain the marshes is threatened by increasing extraction of water from the Macquarie River for crop irrigation upstream from the marshes. An environmental trust has been established in order to attract widespread community support.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Macquarie Marshes". Protected Planet. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve: Park management". Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "Macquarie Marshes". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ISBN 0-7305-7351-6. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ Hogendyk, Gillian (2007). The Macquarie Marshes: An Ecological History (PDF). Institute of Public Affairs. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Macquarie Marshes". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ "The Macquarie Marshes". Australian Ramsar Wetlands. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 1 August 1986. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Welcome to the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust". Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust. 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2012.