The Gippsland Lakes Taskforce has currently commissioned a range of research projects and investigations.

These are:

• Toxin Risk Assessment for the Gippsland Lakes.
• Investment Framework for Environmental Resources (INFFER).
• Fish populations and seagrass condition of the Gippsland Lakes.
• Gippsland Lakes Hydrodynamic Model.

Ecological Character Descriptions are intended to improve understanding of the ecological condition, and interactions between, the components of Ramsar sites, and to establish a quantitative baseline for the description of the ecological character for Ramsar sites.

The Gippsland Lakes Taskforce has gained funding for a project through the Coastal Catchments Initiative (Department of Environment and Heritage ), which will provide such Character Descriptions for the Lakes as a listed Ramsar site.

1. Annual General Meeting, 9.30 am at DSE Offices in Bairnsdale, Monday 30 June.  All members (and new members) welcome.
2. The EGBOC website is currently being revised, and an updated site should be available by the end of July.
3. EGBOC has received a grant of $5000 under the Commonwealth Government’s Community Coastcare scheme for a Longitudinal study of bird communities of coastal wetlands and beaches in East Gippsland.  The project involves long-term monitoring of birds in the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar area and adjacent wetlands and beaches, building on EGBOC records dating from 1982.  The aim is the assessment of long-term dynamics in bird species diversity and abundance in the Lakes and nearby habitats which are subject to increasing environmental stress from a range of pressures.  The project entails digitising existing records, continued monitoring of selected sites, analysis of data and dissemination of results to relevant land management agencies, environmental groups and the general public.  A series of site brochures is in preparation and will be distributed in hard copy and via the EGBOC website.  Members of the public interested in learning more about, or participating in the project are encouraged to contact the club (see website for contact details).
4. EGBOC has now completed 30 months of our Bushfire Recovery project involving the monitoring of bird communities at three sites affected by the 2006-07 fires in East Gippsland.  Further information will be available on the updated website later this year.