China and Australia will both benefit from a program designed to share expertise and experience from the two countries in managing wetlands and using wetlands to treat waste water.

 

As part of the Australia China Environment Development Program’s wetland project, four Chinese officials will be in the Border region on Friday 14 March during a study tour which will focus on how Australia manages its wetlands.

 

The tour is a follow-up to a recent project design trip to China by members of the feasibility/design team ­- Professor Max Finlayson, the director of Charles Sturt University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, Dr Shaun Meredith from the MDFRC, and Ms Alison Curtin from the Department of Environment and Climate Change who have been contracted by the environmental consulting company GHD to design the project.

 

While here the Chinese officials will be visiting Wonga Wetlands (which uses reclaimed water from Albury’s waste water treatment plant), the Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre in Wodonga, and Charles Sturt University’s campus at Thurgoona where wetlands are used to treat waste water.

 

“It’s exciting to be involved in this project and it’s a wonderful opportunity for Australian scientists to interact, discuss and exchange ideas with Chinese scientists,” said Prof Max Finlayson, a wetland ecologist with much international and national experience.