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Restore Coastal Wetlands

Wetlands are the foundation of coastal life. They are also critical for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The mangrove forests, estuaries, lagoons and rivers where land meets the sea act as nurseries that allow our fish and birds to flourish. They clean our air, filter our water and store more carbon than any other ecosystem. They're our best defence against storms, floods and rising sea levels, protecting coastal communities from the worsening effects of climate change.

But did you know that most coastal wetlands in NSW have been drained, dredged and destroyed?

The good news is that with enough will, they can be restored within our lifetime.

 

Support our campaign to restore and conserve NSW's coastal wetlands

 

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Our plan to protect coastal wetlands:

  • Protect wetlands with stronger laws to prevent damage from pollution, degradation and development.
  • Recognise wetlands as a climate solution and buffer against rising seas by setting blue carbon sequestration targets.
  • Restore our wetlands by working with the community to identify low-lying areas vulnerable to sea level rise, and advocating for their conversion back to healthy and functioning wetland ecosystems.

Read the latest news on our coastal wetlands blog

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We're calling on the NSW Government to restore more of our coastal wetlands by working with the community, buying back drained marginal sites, reversing damaging drainage infrastructure, and setting blue carbon restoration targets.

Image of current (green) and pre-colonisation (red) extent of coastal wetland vegetation types  below 1m elevation along the Richmond River on NSW's North Coast.

To illustrate why bringing back our wetlands is so important, we've made a statewide, interactive map showing just how much coastal wetland vegetation we've lost. To view or learn more about our interactive map, click here or on the image above.

Why do wetlands matter? 

Wetlands are critical to the ecological health of our coasts. From mangrove forests teeming with life to the estuaries, lagoons, rivers, marshes and lakes up and down the coastline – wetlands provide critical habitat to an incredibly diverse array of life, plant, human and animal. From producing seafood to protecting coastal communities from climate change, they provide countless, invaluable benefits to both people and nature. Click here to learn more about the value of coastal wetlands.

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What threats are wetlands facing?

Wetlands in NSW face a barrage of threats, including from sea level rise and climate change, inappropriate development, invasive species, pollution, and unnaturally altered flows. Unfortunately, the majority of NSW's coastal wetlands have been lost since 1788, and many that remain are continuing to decline in health and extent. Click here to learn more about the threats to coastal wetlands in NSW.

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NCC at the Australasian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network Conference, 2024

In November, NCC's Coastal Wetlands Campaign team crossed the border to attend the Australasian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network's 2024 annual conference, at the University of Queensland, Brisbane. The network's 17th annual national...
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Here's What We Learned About the North Coast's Wetlands

Residents of NSW’s North Coast know better than most the importance of healthy coastal wetlands and rivers. They’ve seen what happens when they’re destroyed, from water as acidic as lemon juice, to...
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Making Waves on World Mangrove Day

I’m Sam, the Coastal Wetlands Community Organiser at NCC.   Yesterday was World Mangrove Day, and I’ve just come back from visiting the beautiful Badu Mangroves in Sydney’s Olympic Park.  Only a few...
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