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    Wetlands

    From lakes and lagoons to coral reefs and seagrass beds, explore our wetlands and why they are important.
    From lakes and lagoons to coral reefs and seagrass beds, explore our wetlands and why they are important.
    In this section
    • Water

    • Beaches
      • Beachwatch water quality program
      • North Coast beaches
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        • Daily pollution forecast
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        • Ocean beaches daily pollution forecast
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      • South Coast beaches
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      • Is it safe to swim?
        • What pollutes our beaches?
        • What are the health risks to swimmers?
        • Why has water quality improved?
        • What can you do?
      • Working with councils
      • Monitoring beach water quality
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      • Reporting beach water quality
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        • Guidelines
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    • Floodplains
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    • Wetlands
      • About wetlands
      • Why wetlands are important
      • Plants and animals in wetlands
        • Plants
        • Birds
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      • Protecting wetlands
        • Threats to wetlands
        • How wetlands are protected
        • NSW Wetlands Policy
        • Endangered wetland communities
        • Other protected wetlands
      • NSW Wetland Inventory
        • NSW Wetland Inventory pilot study
      • Internationally significant wetlands
        • Blue Lake
        • Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps
        • Gwydir Wetlands
        • Hunter Estuary Wetlands
        • Lake Pinaroo
        • Little Llangothlin Nature Reserve
        • Macquarie Marshes
        • Myall Lakes
        • Narran Lake Nature Reserve
        • NSW Central Murray Forests
        • Paroo River Wetlands
        • Towra Point Nature Reserve
    • Water for the environment
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        • Other valleys
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      • Murray and Lower Darling valleys
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        • Annual environmental water priorities
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        • Profile
        • Environmental Water Advisory Group
        • Annual environmental water priorities
      • Lachlan valley
        • Profile
        • Environmental Water Advisory Group
        • Annual environmental water priorities
        • Lake Brewster pelican banding
      • Macquarie valley
        • Profile
        • Environmental Water Advisory Group
        • Annual environmental water priorities
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        • Annual environmental water priorities
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    • About wetlands

      Wetlands take many forms, depending on whether they are on the coast, in estuaries, on floodplains and around rivers and lakes.

    • Why wetlands are important

      Wetlands perform many functions and are vital for environmental, economic, social and cultural reasons.

    • Protecting wetlands

      The conservation of wetlands is guided by the NSW Wetlands Policy, the Ramsar Convention and state and national programs. 

    • Plants and animals in wetlands

      A wide range of plants and animals depend on wetlands for their survival.

    • NSW Wetland Inventory

      We’re collecting data and information about NSW wetlands to improve the way they’re managed.

    • Internationally significant wetlands

      Twelve NSW wetlands are listed under an international convention that aims to protect their ecological character.

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