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Wetlands are a vital part of the functioning ecosystem and provide important wildlife habitats. They form the basis of the most biologically productive and diverse habitat types on earth. So far, it is estimated that nearly 80% of wetlands in the Swan Coastal Plain have been destroyed with the remainder being heavily modified. Thus, the remaining wetlands in the Perth metropolitan area need protection and enhancement to continue their functioning role in the landscape.
Residents in the Shire of Mundaring can contribute to the protection and restoration of wetlands by understanding their location and status and the impact of land use on them. These sites can be a focus for planning, assessment and front-line involvement of the Eastern hills community. The DEC Wetlands database contains the most current and comprehensive information for wetlands in Western Australia . In the Shire of Mundaring, four wetlands have been identified, namely - Lake Leschenaultia , Manaring Lake , Red Swamp and Helena River Reservoir.
Table 1: All wetlands (including swamps and artificial wetlands in the Mundaring Shire, the class or type they have been defined as and the area of each wetland (hectares) (Source: CALM Wetlands Database).
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NAME |
Class or Type |
Area (ha) |
|
Lake Leschenaultia |
Lake |
18.7 |
|
Manaring Lake |
Lake |
12.5 |
|
Red Swamp |
Swamp |
95.5 |
|
Helena River Reservoir |
Artificial |
705.9 |
Click here to view a Creekline Poster which displays values affecting fringing vegetation.
Click here to view a map of the wetlands and waterways.
The wetlands database can be accessed at:
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/projects/wetlands_database.html
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