Building a consensus for action to restore wetlands can be a tricky business, especially when the history of a site is shrouded in confusion as a result of conflicting early accounts and fading memories, as well as a wide range of modern subsequent assumptions and interpretations which, as a result of ecological shifts, have sometimes taken on a life of their own.
This is the story of how Nature Glenelg Trust (NGT) was able to build a consensus for action, through a blended approach that used a thorough investigation of the grey literature, in combination with the use of modern scientific tools, to provide a sound public communication platform and also inform restoration works. In this process, NGT used early maps, journals, government files and newspaper articles, in conjunction with modern GIS tools and scientific surveys, to develop and propose a restoration hypothesis. Our goal was to bring everyone with an interest in the site on a journey, learning together as we progressed towards a solution.
This was not simply a theoretical exercise however, with restoration trials implemented to test the hypothesis and help answer our final technical questions. This allowed NGT to propose a permanent solution with a level of confidence sufficient to gain support from the local community and government agencies with an interest in the site.
The result today, several years since NGT became involved, is that Long Swamp in Discovery Bay Coastal Park has now successfully had its hydrology permanently restored, and, thanks to local community advocacy and State Government support, is also part of Victoria's newest Ramsar site (Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay Wetlands).
This approach to both science communication and wetland restoration is likely to be of great value at other complex sites.