Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline

The Queensland Wetland Buffer Planning Guideline provides the steps for designing a wetland buffer and identifies its benefits and future management needs.
The tool will:

• help planners and managers design the most appropriate buffer for Queensland wetlands using a values-based approach that recognises potential stressors on wetland values
• guide decision makers towards developing the best protection zone to stop impacts of development and other threatening activities.
• provide a design method that supports best practice in designing and managing a buffer around a wetland.

The guideline provides a consistent approach to wetland managers and planners in:

• the steps needed to design a wetland buffer; and
• points to consider in terms of benefits and ongoing management needs. 

Using the guideline

Use this guideline in palustrine, lacustrine, estuarine and marine wetland systems. The concepts behind the method can also be used for buffers around riverine and artificial wetlands. Using the guideline requires expert knowledge of wetlands.

This guideline is an important tool to support users who want to meet the requirements of the State Planning Policy Protecting Wetlands of a High Ecological Significance in Great Barrier Reef Catchments. However it does not over-ride legislative requirements.

Guideline content

The guideline includes the following information:

• introduction to wetland buffer planning

• wetland buffer concepts 
• identifying and describing the wetland
• the buffer design process (including recommended steps and useful resources)
• wetland buffer management requirements
• a checklist to track progress through the buffer planning process
• pro forma tables to complete tasks in the buffer design method
• information sources and buffer distances for specific species, habitats, locations and situations.

Buffer design steps

The guideline sets out a buffer design process tasks:

1. Identify and prioritise the wetland environmental values through research and consultation with stakeholders, including experts, local government and interest groups.
2. Specify the required support area for each priority wetland environmental value through literature reviews, expert knowledge, consultation with technical experts, and ground truthing.
3. Design the overall wetland support area based on the furthest extent needed for each environmental value in Task 2. The overall support area may not be uniform in shape around the wetland.
4. Identify and prioritise the threatening processes impacting, or likely to impact on, each priority wetland environmental value.
5. Specify the separation area required to protect the wetland from each major threatening process. Buffer elements, including natural or artificial features and management practices, may be used to protect the wetland and reduce the distance required.
6. Design the overall separation area based on the separation area required for each major threatening process and identify the furthest extent needed.