Healthy rivers and wetlands are essential for native wildlife, Aboriginal cultural heritage, local communities, and a diverse range of industries, from floodplain grazing to tourism and recreational fishing.
The rivers and wetlands of NSW are under extreme stress after decades of catchment degradation, water-course diversion, unsustainable water extraction, and climate change.
Over the past century, the Murray-Darling Basin has experienced a dramatic decline in wetlands, waterbirds and native fish populations due to a massive increase in the volume of water extracted for irrigation.
Meanwhile, coastal rivers, wetlands and estuaries have suffered from a lack of oversight and inadequate water-sharing plans, which has put vulnerable coastal environments and wildlife at risk.
In response to these threats, we continue to provide a vital voice for nature in water policy processes at the state and federal level.