Field & Game Australia staff and volunteers have been engaged in discussions around the draining of several wetlands in recent months in northern Victoria.

We know that one wetlands regulator (Gaynor Swamp) was tampered with, and structures were damaged (and it’s not the first time this has happened). There are discussions taking place to find common ground around solutions that will benefit the wetlands into the future.

A second wetland (Mansfield) has also had a regulator tampered with, and FGA is looking at working together with various departments to determine who was responsible and if it was vandalism or part of a plan. We are looking forward to meeting with relevant departments to discuss this regulator and to be included as part of the solution moving forward.

A third wetland (Doctors Swamp) has a water management plan in place, and FGA has expressed concerns about the impacts of this plan on current waterbird breeding at that location.

It’s always a delicate balancing act for governing bodies that have various stakeholder groups and species of flora and fauna to consider in their management plans. That's why it is so important that Field & Game Australia has conservation-minded representatives at the table so that there is a voice for gamebirds. FGA staff do their best to be present at as many regional committees and groups as possible regarding water management and watering advisory groups, but we need the assistance of our volunteers.

When you add into the equation the recent flooding and potentially individuals who may have taken matters into their own hands for their own reasons and operated outside the law, the situation becomes even more complex.

We will inform our valued members of the outcomes in coming weeks as our staff and volunteers learn more details and hope to have fruitful discussions with land managers and other conservation groups.

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