Water Wisdom

Ground-breaking water systems are being used to conserve water at Melbourne Zoo, as well as provide a sanctuary for heat-stressed species in the wild.

WORDS Sally Feldman

As many endangered animals are vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss, Zoos Victoria is determined to become a world leader on environmental sustainability.

Melbourne Zoo’s Irrigation Specialist, Giuseppe, uses data to drive water management and conservation.

A key member of the Sustainability Team, Giuseppe oversees the irrigation system at Melbourne Zoo and its adjacent gardens, helping to manage the Zoo’s on-site water recycling plant, which is mostly used for irrigation, and to fill various pools, ponds and moats for the Zoo’s animals, including Asian Elephants and Pygmy Hippopotamus, to wallow and cool off.

“We have a centralised control system managed by computer software, and we have a reticulation system of approximately 15,000-plus sprinklers throughout the Zoo, which I utilise to maintain our gardens and tree collections,” explains Giuseppe. “Some of these trees are listed on the Exceptional Tree Register, and I make sure we deliver water efficiently to them.”

This system uses aerial sprayers, underground drippers, risers and giant sprinklers. “We’re a zoological park and garden with different climate areas –from tropical to Mediterranean – so it makes this site complex to manage, because there are so many different water requirements. My role is to ensure we have a system that supports both our habitats and animals,” says Giuseppe, who has represented Zoos Victoria at the Climate Change Botanic Gardens Alliance.

Trees talking back

So, how does Giuseppe know how much, and when, trees and other plants need to be watered? Well, they tell him! His background in biomass technology, science and sustainability has led him to develop a system that collects environmental data, which he uses to monitor the Zoo’s most precious trees. The monitoring system includes probes, dendrometers and bioactivity devices that are installed at ground level or underground, with others secured high in the tree canopy.

“This allows me to understand how a species is surviving,” he says. “I can see on a daily or hourly basis, even minutes, what’s happening – how much water is being withdrawn, even how much carbon is being stored underground.”

In that way, Giuseppe ensures those trees receive the right amount of water when they need it, to help counter the effects of a changing climate and ensure no water is wasted. This model allows him to protect heritage-listed trees, preventing potential decline due to age and exposure to climate extremes. This approach has resulted in a significant reduction in water usage and running costs.

Cool change

Meanwhile, at Yarra Bend Park, Giuseppe has contributed his waterwizardry to a joint project with Parks Victoria that aims to bring heat relief to a colony of Vulnerable Grey-headed flying foxes. In recent years, this native species has been severely affected by heatwaves, some of the colony even dying from heat stress.

The Parks Victoria collaboration, with support from Wildlife Victoria, Animals Australia and Friends of Bats and Bushcare (FOBB), saw Giuseppe research the species’ needs for three years, and drew on scientific knowledge to design a giant misting system using irrigation materials. “It took me six months to come up with the final design,” he explains. “The irrigation system runs 1.6km along the Yarra River, Birrarung, where the colony is situated. I used an existing irrigation concept and adapted it. The system is ground-based, drawing water from the river, but is made up of a series of sprinklers set above the tree canopy. The water spray creates a giant nebula, or cloud, which drives down temperatures by five or more degrees, creating a microclimate. It’s a pioneering system and unique as far as we know – and the first attempt to protect a colony like this.”

Giuseppe also considered environmental impacts during the design process. “It’s already been trialled successfully,” he says, “and has exceeded our expectations. It’s an amazing achievement for conservation in the wild.” Z

Get water wise at home

Follow Giuseppe’s tips for conserving water in your garden:

Focus on plants that thrive in your area. See what grows well in your neighbours’ gardens

Choose native plants. They’re more adaptable and resilient – that’s why they survive

Follow a regular watering routine, watering in the early morning or evening

Install an underground drip irrigation system to direct water where it’s needed

Use mulch to keep the soil at an even temperature and reduce evaporation

Improve soil health by regularly adding compost