Between 18-20 June, ten Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation Rangers joined trainers Kylie McPherson and Julieanne Blake, from DESI’s Queensland Wetlands Program for WetCAT training.
BAC Rangers, Cody and Myles work alongside Julieanne undertaking the WetCAT assessment (Photo: BAC) 
Jason uses a Secchi tube to measure water turbidity (Photo: BAC) 
Donna collecting a macroinvertebrate sample at Basin Lake (Photo: BAC) 
Cody net sampling in Basin Lake (Photo: BAC) 
Kylie and Jymara sampling macroinvertebrates (Photo: BAC) 
Macroinvertebrate sorting as an indicator of wetland health (Photo: BAC) 
Jymara sorting macroinvertebrates (Photo: BAC) 
Ranger Myles Broome checks out water life (Photo: BAC)
WetCAT (Wetland Condition Assessment Tool) is a rapid assessment method, that can be used to measure a change in the condition of lacustrine (lakes) and palustrine (swamps and marshes) wetlands in response to an event (like a bushfire) and to track impacts of management interventions (such as rehabilitation activities). WetCAT has also been designed to undertake an assessment of threats to better understand the relationship between threats and changes to wetland conditions.
BAC’s RAM and Land and Sea Rangers joined forces to assess a total of seven wetlands on Butchulla Country including Basin Lake, Boorangoora and Boon Boon Creek, learning more about water quality threats and indicators including vegetation cover, macroinvertebrates and pests including salvinia, cane toads, mosquito fish and tilapia.
WetCAT will be used as a tool by the BAC’s Rangers to assess K’gari’s wetlands as part of the Butchulla Water Stories project with data to be uploaded into a web mapping system and used to prioritise future management of K’gari.
Butchulla Water Stories (Phase 1) was funded through the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s Reef Trust Partnership.
Article contributed by Chantel Van Wamelen, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation
FINIA 