Emigrant Creek project wins prestigious soil saving award

We want to congratulate North Coast Local Land Services on their success at the recent International Erosion Control Association (ICEA) Australasia Environmental Excellence Awards.

Their Marine Estate Management Strategy funded project took out the 2022 winner of the 'Excellence for a project or operation of any value’ category.

The Judges made the following comments regarding this award-winning project:
“This approach in bank stabilisation, mangrove rehabilitation is innovative utilising sustainable products. Excellent model to be replicated across numerous tidal waterways experiencing similar impacts with reduced cost model.”

The project worked to reduce pollutants and sediment entering Emigrant Creek (a tributary of the Richmond River near Ballina) by:

• restoring over 40 km of riverside vegetation
• installing over 3km of bank stabilisation works, and,
• improving roads adjacent to the river to prevent road base entering the river during floods.

It is estimated that the bank stabilisation works have prevented over 2,000 tonnes of sediment per flood event from entering waterways since the project began in 2019.

Hats off to all the stakeholders and landholders involved in the MEMS initiative and to LLS staff involved for this fantastic achievement.

If you want to find out more about the project, check out video below.