NESP MaC Project 4.12 – Protecting valuable shoreline mangroves of northern Australia 2024-2026 (JCU)

Research Project

Researchers: Norman C Duke (Principal investigator) ,  Lawrey, Eric, Dr. (Point of contact) ,  Wolfe, Kennedy (Dr) (Point of contact) ,  eAtlas Data Manager (Point of contact) ,  mailto:b.robson@aims.gov.au (Point of contact)

Brief description This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub study - Protecting valuable shoreline mangroves of northern Australia. For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. The mass death (~80 km2) and dieback of shoreline mangroves around the Gulf of Carpentaria (GOC) and across northern Australia in 1982 and 2015 was a wake-up call to the vulnerability and immense importance of marine coastal ecosystems like mangroves. It is essential that we fully understand the circumstances surrounding such catastrophic events, the environmental triggers identified, and what we might do to restore the damage while also preventing future occurrences. In response to the 2015 mass dieback event (the world’s largest such recorded event), the NESP commissioned an Emerging Priority project that utilised aerial surveys to assess the extent of the dieback along the entire Gulf of Carpentaria coastline. It is proposed to resurvey GOC shorelines for their current condition whilst taking the opportunity further to devise a well-considered and fully costed rapid response plan that will include innovative preventative management outcomes for the longer-term sustainability of threatened but highly-valued coastal marine ecosystems of northern Australia. Planned Outputs • aerial survey imagery [imagery] • satellite imagery analysis [spatial dataset] • field & environmental surveys [tabular dataset] • Final technical report with analysed data and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]

Notes Credit
{Team members: Norman Duke (JCU), Adam Canning (JCU)

Notes Credit
National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub

Notes Credit
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Australian Government

Notes Credit
In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.

Notes Purpose
1) An update on the current condition with detailed maps of tidal wetlands impacted by the 2015 event of mass dieback of mangroves in the GOC and northern Australia. This includes an evaluation of recovery and deterioration in view of the accumulative impacts from climate change, storms, floods and other direct human influences. 2) An appraisal and documentation of mangrove management methods that further support the preservation and protection of resilience of shoreline mangrove stands affected by various influences, including but not restricted to grassland fires, exotic weeds and feral pigs. 3) The design and costing of an innovative Watering Response Plan for planning, action and application when mangroves are again threatened. Future events are anticipated, when unusually extreme ENSO events again cause unusually low but temporary sea levels, as to have caused mass dieback events in 1982 and 2015. The aim of the plan is to reduce the 80 km2 loss of mangroves to help maintain their established ecosystem benefits like local seafood production, shoreline protection and carbon sequestration/storage.

Data time period: 2024-02-01 to 2026-12-11

-17.76806,86 -14.24722,86

-16.00764,90