Redland City Council has adopted a new plan to help maintain the health of local waterways and Moreton Bay.
Mayor Karen Williams said the development of the Redlands Coast Bay and Creeks Plan 2021-2031 and supplementary Action Plan 2021-2026 reflected an ongoing commitment to sustainable stewardship of our waterways and Moreton Bay.
“This plan provides a strategic approach to protect, maintain and enhance the resilience of our waterways and the bay,” she said.
“It aligns with and supports other Council plans and strategies, such as the Corporate Plan 2021-2026, the Coastal Adaption Strategy and the Conservation Land Management Strategy 2010.
“In conjunction with the Action Plan, it also operationalises Council’s implementation of the Lower Brisbane-Redlands Coastal Catchment Action Plan that Council endorsed in 2018.”
Cr Williams said management of the waterways and bay was a complex issue.
“There is need for a plan with a clear vision to identify priorities, set a clear future direction and drive coordinated and targeted actions,” she said.
“Council has invested significantly in assessing and improving the condition of our waterways and the bay, with initiatives such as waterways monitoring and assessment programs, implementing actions to reduce sediment loads from construction sites and through the commitment to plant one million native plants by 2026.
“While this work is yielding results, we recognise there are opportunities for improvement.
“The Action Plan identifies high priority activities Council will implement over the next five years to protect and enhance the resilience of the waterways and bay.”
Cr Williams said the plan’s aim was to ensure Council and community actions left a positive legacy for the future.
“Over the 10-year life of the plan we intend to develop a better understanding of what’s happening in our waterways and adjacent lands.
“We want to ensure we’re budgeting for ongoing maintenance of our waterways and operating at best practice. We also want to see an improvement in water quality.”
