Guidelines and Management Plans

Photo: Condamine River near Macalister - Cathy Ellis

A great deal of information and guidance is available for anyone interested in managing wetlands.

However, it is sometimes hard to get started and there are always many questions that need to be answered: What type of wetland am I dealing with? How does the wetland function? What are the values of the wetland? How do I assess its current health or condition and the risks posed to the wetland? What options are available for managing the wetland and what funding is available for me to undertake the work?

These questions are often best dealt with by getting involved in a recognised wetlands education program or training course that will take you through the ABCs of wetland management.

Information is available for land managers and is provided through the Non-urban land (Rural) management and Urban land management pages. Further information on wetlands and land management is available in specific wetlands modules / courses developed through the Queensland Wetlands Program. These modules have been developed as part of the Grazing Land Management System (GLM) and the Farm Management System (FMS) run by the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and the Queensland Farmers Federation respectively.

Other useful information and support can be provided through your local regional NRM bodies.

This page provides links to a wide range of written resources to assist those planning and managing wetlands.

Wetland Management Profiles

Wetland Management Profiles have been designed to provide information about the distribution, ecology, cultural values, conservation status, and threats to and management of particular wetland types and wetland regional ecosystems (RE's) within Queensland.

These profiles are a tool to help wetland managers identify:

the social, economic and environmental values of wetlands
the hydrology and ecology of wetlands
threats and pressures on wetlands
management actions that can be taken to conserve or enhance wetland biodiversity and productivity.

The Queensland Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline

The Queensland Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline will help planners and managers design the most appropriate buffer for Queensland wetlands using a values-based approach that measures stressors on wetland values and then guides decision makers towards developing the right protection zone to stop impacts of development and other threatening activities on the wetland. This tool provides the steps for designing a wetland buffer and identifies its benefits and future management needs.