Great Southern Landscapes

Three Rivers, One Estuary Initiative

The Alcoa Foundation’s Three Rivers, One Estuary Initiative is delivering on-ground and in-water environmental actions in consultation with the community, to improve the health of the Peel-Harvey Catchment.

Through the initiative, we are continuing our long partnership with Alcoa to improve the health of key Peel Waterways through a multi-agency and community approach.

Students wade in a river holding small nets

42,000+

seedlings planted

13

sites

640+

community engaged

The Peel Harvey estuarine system of Western Australia consists of two interconnected shallow lagoons, the Peel Inlet and the Harvey Estuary, into which the three major rivers, the Murray, Serpentine and Harvey, discharge.

The system includes a wetland of international significance which is home to an abundant array of wildlife including tens of thousands of waterbirds.

The Challenge

This culturally, economically and environmentally important estuarine system is at significant risk from a range of threats including land clearing (75% of the land in the estuary has been cleared) and agricultural land use, development, recreational land use and climate change.

These threats are impacting heavily on the waterways and its inhabitants, increasing pest plant and animal populations, degrading habitat, and increasing erosion and salinity.

The Solution

Through the ‘Three Rivers, One Estuary Initiative’ funded by the Alcoa Foundation, Greening Australia and other committed organisations are working to improve the health of these three key Peel Waterways.

Through the initiative, we are working in partnership with industry, community and local land management groups on priority projects across the Peel region to improve the condition of the Serpentine, Murray and Harvey Rivers, reverse habitat loss and integrate large-scale restoration and carbon sinks into the Peel-Harvey’s fragmented landscape.

Project Leads

Ruth Cripps

Land and Restoration Lead

Ruth grew up on a farm in the northern Wheatbelt of WA where, from a young age, she climbed trees on the farm to collect seed and grow seedlings for establishment on the property. These days nurtured a love for the environment and combined with studies in Land Management and Landscape Architecture, a deep passion for restoring farming landscapes grew. She enjoys working with landholders to design and facilitate planting projects, whether they be with a focus on restoring habitat, creating shelterbelts, or reversing landscape degradation.

Our Partners

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