A stunning day to observe 200 bar-tailed godwits roosting in the estuary this morning and a reminder of how sensitive this Shoal Bay estuary environment is.
Today was a joint walk around the Marsden development area with the local environment group (RTH). We were joined by a representative from the Councils Healthy Waters department to share learning ahead of another intensive development, that could impact on this Significant Ecological Area.
My concerns follow the impacts of previous developments around the estuary edge that have either not followed sediment control guidelines or that the guidelines themselves have been totally inadequate to deal with current impact of climate, namely heavy rainfall events.
I hope that with early involvement in this project that members of the local environment group (RTH) will have the chance to monitor the methodology and any risk factors that could jeopardize this vulnerable cliff edge and risk sediment flow into the marine environment below.