'Water Talk', December, 2015PAGE 9

water talk

PhD candidate Saras Windecker, a vegetation assessor from the University of Wetlands like the Reedy Swamp may be capable of s toring large amounts of
Melbourne, was part of the team sampling wetlands.
carbon.

Wetlands may be carbon kings

carbon storage potential

T he
of Victoria's inland wetlands

is being measured for the first

time as part of a project co ordinated by Goulburn Broken
Catchment Management
Authority.
Goulburn Broken CMA project
manager Kate Brunt said thanks
to Victorian Government funding,
Deakin University scientists were
visiting 100 wetlands across
Victoria over the next six months
to identify carbon sink 'hot spots'.
"Dr Paul Carnell and the team from
Deakin University recently took
samples from wetlands in the
Goulburn Broken catchment,
including Reedy Swamp near
Shepparton, Winton Wetlands and
the Cathedral Ranges near
Taggerty," Ms Brunt said.
"They also went to Doctors
Swamp near Murchison and Lake
Cooper and will return to Barmah
later this year."
Dr Carnell said there was
growing evidence that inland
freshwater swamps had far
greater potential for storing
carbon than rainforests.
"International data indicates that
carbon sequestration in 1 ha of
wetland is equivalent to 40 ha of
tropical rainforest," he said.
"We want to determine if
wetlands here in Victoria store
carbon at similar rates, including
some wetlands that have been
restored.
"This project aims to build the

Paul Carnell collecting samples from Reedy Swamp in October.

knowledge base so we can protect
and enhance the amazing capacity of
wetlands to store carbon."
The samples from each of the
wetlands will be sent off for
analysis. This will help identify 10
carbon storage 'hot spots' for
further research into the rate at
which the carbon is stored.
Ms Brunt said a better understanding of carbon stocks and
storage rates in wetlands had
huge potential for prioritising
activities that supported
communities to deal with climate
change.

"By understanding the value of

wetlands as carbon sinks, we're
better placed to assess our carbon
footprint, prioritise wetland
restoration projects and identify
other climate change mitigation
opportunities, such as carbon
offset projects."
)Follow the project team on Twitter
with #VicWetlandCarbon or for
more information visit
www.deakin.edu.au/lifeenvironmental-sciences/research/
marine-freshwater-aquaculture/
marinebiology-and-ecology/bluecarbon

The Deakin University team has been active in wetlands across

northern Victoria.