Have your say on new plan for Saltwater Creek and Lagoon Estuary

The estuary is a major asset for the region providing important natural habitat and ecosystem values, opportunities for recreation use and includes areas of social and cultural significance.

However, with the area facing increasing pressures from urbanisation, population growth and climate change.

Kempsey Shire Council is interested in hearing from the community to assist with developing a new Coastal Management Program (CMP) for the estuarine system.

Council's senior natural resources officer, Ron Kemsley, said the CMP will be a long-term strategy that will identify and implement a list of actions to improve and protect estuarine health and manage the current and emerging issues facing the estuary.

"Council wants to better understand how the community and visitors use the estuary and it's surrounds, what they love about it, what their concerns or issues are and to share their ideas, stories and photos of the site," he said.

"Receiving this input and feedback from the community is important as it will help council develop the Stage 1- Scoping Study, the first step in the process of preparing and implementing the CMP.

"The scoping study involves reviewing the current estuary management arrangements, the effectiveness of the existing plan and identifying the key issues facing the estuary."

Mr Kemsley said the CMP will be prepared in five stages, compliant with recent NSW coastal legislative and management framework reforms, and is estimated to take around 12 to 24 months to progress through Stages 2 to 4. The fifth and final stage will involve the ongoing implementation of the program over a 10-year period.

For more information and to submit your feedback go to council's engagement website, Your Say Macleay: https://yoursay.macleay.nsw.gov.au/