nghenvironmental have completed a natural resource inventory for Merimbula Lake, in south-eastern NSW, for the Bega Valley Shire Council. The aim of this project was to identify the environmental attributes of the foreshore and riparian areas of Merimbula Lake and identify potential impacts that may either directly or indirectly compromise the Lake's future. The work included mapping of terrestrial, littoral and marine vegetation communities of Merimbula Lake. This was done via Aerial Photo Interpretation to determine the extent of vegetation communities within the study area, conversion of this data into a geographic information system (GIS), followed by intensive ground surveys to identify species composition and condition of vegetation communities and validate the mapped boundaries.
The assessment found that there had been a significant loss of sea grass over the last two decades. The work culminated in the formulation of an opportunities and constraints analysis, that will be utilised in the development and implementation of planning policies for the management of this sensitive land.
