A lot of the Port Stephens foreshore (the southern foreshore that is, I don't spend any time on the northern foreshore) is looking pretty tired. I like the idea of protecting foreshore vegetation, but a lot of areas need better infrastructure - formalised parking, seating, BBQs, fishing pontoons... Also, we need to be sure that the foreshore vegetation is good quality and not just green weeds. Plus I'm not sure that it entirely fair to revegetate foreshore areas with tall trees or thick bush when people have built houses to take advantage of the views. I'm not saying they shouldn't be revegetated, just that the "social" impact should be considered as well as the environmental benefit.

With the presure from development around the bay, both on the shore line and in the hiterland the only way to hope to get any where near a state of 'Enviromental Sustainability' for the remnant bush land is spend more money on it. Where is the money to come from, I sugest a sizable levey on all commercial development, say 2% of costs, and some sort of ongoing fee for all developments private or commercial that are actually next to bush or park land (or in developments that are) to help to suport the ongoing management of that area. Too often developments take place next to natural areas, because the natural state is the attraction, but then cause, either deliberate or accidental, ongoing degridation to that area.