BlueCarbonLab

We are thrilled to have been named a finalist at the Volunteering Victoria Awards 2024 in the Partnerships category! 🎉 A huge thank you to our incredible #BlueCarbonArmy of citizen scientists and partners who help drive the conservation and restoration of coastal wetlands across Victoria. This recognition is a testament to the importance of collaboration and #citizenscience in achieving on-ground solutions to mitigate climate change. It was an honour to stand alongside such inspiring finalists - huge congratulations to all the winners! 👏 Thank you to Volunteering Victoria for celebrating the power of volunteering and enduring partnerships to create meaningful impact. #VicVolAwards2024 #CitizenScience #GenerationRestoration #BlueCarbon Tallulah Davey | Teah Coate | Rory Crofts | Ruby Martin

Scaling up for more resilient restoration 🌱💪 Weather adversity can be a real challenge when it comes to coastal wetland restoration, especially when active intervention is involved. Based on field observations, our #RegenOurCoasts team are speculating that scaling up our single BESE-Elements into larger plots may be more effective at revegetating #coastalwetlands, allowing plants to survive better in severe weather or exposed coastlines. To test this, our researchers have developed a new experimental design by grouping 4 X BESE structures together with an added BESE layer, along with an increased density of saltmarsh and mangrove plantings. The mangroves, grown at Advance College Native Nursery, have been grouped into younger and older seedling clusters to explore how this affects their success. So far, the team has successfully planted over 550 mangrove seedlings and 80 saltmarsh transplants across 280 BESE structures in this pilot design across Western Port and Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. By incorporating more structures and clustered plantings, this aims to boost resilience against high-energy weather events, ensuring that our restoration efforts are more robust in the face of future climate challenges 🌊 Stacey Trevathan-Tackett | Sabrina Kleis Brenøe Olsson | Teah Coate | Ivona Buljat | Tallulah Davey | Lucille Bailey | BESE-products #ReGenOurCoasts is funded by Beach Energy Ltd. 

From mud to marsh 🌿 With #WorldWetlandsDay fast approaching, this latest article by BlueCarbonLab scientist Phebe Fidge (Rowland) dives into the recovery of ecosystem services following tidal marsh restoration.     Based on a recent global meta-analysis, check out some of the key takeaways below: 🌾 Return of the marsh: Tidal marshes can be restored by alleviating threats (e.g., preventing erosion, weed control), adjusting environmental conditions (e.g., tidal reinstatement), or through active revegetation.    ⏲️ The marsh springs back: According to a global meta-analysis, it can take as little as 5 years for restored and created tidal marshes to recover the organic carbon, vegetation structure, and biodiversity of healthy reference marshes.    🌍 A restoration force awakens: Understanding how ecosystem services are recovered by tidal marsh restoration and creation will inform future wetland restoration efforts.    🔗 Read the full story here - https://lnkd.in/g6itxfqr   Global Water Forum #wetlands #bluecarbon #saltmarsh #generationrestoration

🌱 If at first you don’t succ-seed, try again!  🌊 Seagrass seed sowing, or direct seeding, is a widely used method for #seagrassrestoration worldwide. Last year, our #ReGenOurCoasts team held initial trials but encountered challenges in successfully sowing 𝑍𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑖 seeds. 💡 In response, our researchers turned to another established approach: collecting the growing tips of healthy seagrass plants – or ‘fragments’ – and securing them to biodegradable BESE-Elements structures. At our field site in Queensferry, Victoria we successfully transplanted over 160 fragments and will be monitoring their survival over the summer months. 🌍 We are hopeful that the seagrass roots will grow into the BESE-Elements during the seagrass growing season, and eventually establish and expand within the BESE-stabilised sediments. Stay tuned for updates as we track their progress!  #ReGenOurCoasts is funded by Beach Energy Ltd.    #GenerationRestoration #SeagrassMeadows #WetlandsWednesday Stacey Trevathan-Tackett | Sabrina Kleis Brenøe Olsson | Teah Coate | Ivona Buljat | Tallulah Davey | Lucille Bailey | BESE-products

Establishing roots on French Island! 🏝️ Last Friday, our #ReGenOurCoasts team travelled to French Island, a small yet vital part of Western Port in Victoria, Australia. We teamed up with the Western Port Biosphere Foundation to host a hands-on citizen science day, planting mangrove seedlings into biodegradable structures as part of our restoration trials 🌱    The site of our focus has faced significant mangrove losses, likely due to agricultural practices and potential harvesting in the 1960’s. Over the past 30-40 years, the mangroves have not been able to recover naturally. To help restore this site, we were joined by participants from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Western Port Seagrass Partnership, Parks Victoria, landowners, restoration practitioners and passionate locals keen to give the mangroves a helping hand.    The day was filled with inspiring conversations about mangrove restoration efforts past, present, and future on French Island and throughout Western Port – showcasing a shared commitment and passion to protect these vital ecosystems.    Together, we planted 240 mangrove seedlings into biodegradable structures and measured key site characteristics. We look forward to seeing how these mangrove seedlings survive, thrive and provide coastal protection and the many benefits of healthy #coastalwetlands in the area 🌊     A special thank you to Josh West from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation for a moving Welcome to Country ceremony, and to Cindy Devonport and Stephen Brend from the Western Port Biosphere Foundation for your unwavering energy and dedication in making this day possible!    Until next time, French Island! 🏝️ #RegenOurCoasts is funded by Beach Energy Ltd. #BlueCarbonArmy #CitizenScience #Mangroves #GenerationRestoration Stacey Trevathan-Tackett | Sabrina Kleis Brenøe Olsson | Teah Coate | Ivona Buljat | Tallulah Davey | Lucille Bailey | Linda French

A fresh new publication for you all! 🥬 With the help of Melissa Wartman, Jasmine Bursic and Paul Carnell, my first ever meta-analysis is online with the journal of Environmental and Sustainability Indicators. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gsunZ8gz Tidal marshes are #bluecarbon ecosystems that provide important habitat for birds, fish, and other animals. The aim of tidal marsh #restoration is to deliver the functions and diversity of a healthy, undisturbed marsh…but how long does this take? 🦆🐟🌿 Our review investigates the recovery of #ecosystemservices after marsh restoration or creation. On average, restored tidal marshes reached levels of vegetation cover, biomass, organic carbon, stem density, accretion, carbon accumulation, fish density, and bird abundance equivalent to nearby healthy reference marshes within five years! I report some highlights in the video below 👇 #wetlands #naturerepair

In October, four of our scientists presented their research at the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress in Cape Town, South Africa! They gathered with over 800 ocean users, scientists, managers, and custodians from around the world with the common goal of “Making Marine Science Matter”.    Phebe Fidge (Rowland) offers some reflections on the conference theme, calling scientists to share their love of the ocean, build inter-disciplinary relationships, communicate risk, create decision-useful tools, and inspire change.    🔗 Read the full article here - https://lnkd.in/gTMDnt_6   #IMCC7 #SCB #marinescience #CapeTown #SouthAfrica  

🎋 It’s time to bamboo-st our mangrove restoration efforts!  ♻️ Biodegradable structures for restoration come in many shapes and sizes. Last year, the #RegenOurCoasts team were introduced to innovative bamboo devices designed for #mangrove restoration. Seagrass Technologies Pty Ltd, owned by Stuart Thompson, highlighted their easy-to-install design, which resembles natural tussocks. 🌱 Similar to the BESE-Elements, these #bamboo devices are engineered to stabilise sediment, slow water movement, and naturally capture mangrove seeds, helping to support crucial early phases of growth. 💡 Eager to explore their potential, we are trialling an area of 336 of these bamboo devices at a site where we are struggling to retain Avicennia marina mangrove seeds. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers for their hard work! 🌿 In #RegenOurCoasts we aim to add to the restoration toolbox by exploring new ways biodegradable structures can enhance #coastalwetland restoration.  Curious to learn more about these bamboo devices? Check them out at mangroves.au. #RegenOurCoasts is funded by Beach Energy Ltd.  Stacey Trevathan-Tackett | Sabrina Kleis Brenøe Olsson | Teah Coate | Ivona Buljat | Tallulah Davey | Michael Streader | Judith Rosales Puaque | Aaliah Sameem | Lucille Bailey | Linda French | Danielle De Wit

🌏 It’s #InternationalWomensDay! At the BlueCarbonLab, we strive to #InspireInclusion in our work. Our team of 22 women are of 14 different nationalities and speak 15+ languages! Today, we celebrate this #diversity and the inspiring work of the women in the team to protect the environment and create positive change   #IWD2024 Stacey Trevathan-Tackett | Micheli Costa | Melissa Wartman | | Maria del Mar Palacios | Rifaee Rasheed | Sabiha Marine | Jasmine Bursic | Sabrina Kleis Brenøe Olsson | Phebe Fidge (Rowland) | Dr Jacqui Pocklington | Tallulah Davey | Nipunika Hansani | Ruby Martin | Kendrika Gaur | Nipuni Perera | Alexandra Rodríguez | Elizabeth Galanis | Agustina Quadri | Ahalya Suresh | Nataly Guevara | Teah Coate

🌿 Does nutrient pollution impact seagrass meadows’ ability to store carbon? 🌊 Recent studies reveal that nutrient enrichment in coastal environments can alter seagrass chemistry, reducing its potential to sequester #bluecarbon. 🔬 Research by Luo et al. reveals nutrient enrichment reduces the amount of recalcitrant carbon produced by seagrass plants. Building on this, a new study by Liu et al. found that elevated nutrient levels change seagrass litter chemistry, accelerating the decay of recalcitrant carbon. 📉 Together, these findings indicate that #eutrophication not only reduces the production of recalcitrant carbon in seagrass meadows, but also speeds up its decomposition, reducing long-term carbon storage.  🌍 With seagrass meadows being vital global #carbonsinks, these findings highlight how nutrient pollution can compromise carbon sequestration in #coastalwetlands. Effective management of nutrient inputs is key to protect and preserve the long-term carbon storage of these vital ecosystems. 🔗 Explore the research: Liu et al. 2024: https://lnkd.in/ginaX67z  Luo et al. 2024: https://lnkd.in/gGXWsMhR #BlueCarbon #Seagrass #Eutrophication #Nutrients #Pollution  Science of the Total Environment (STOTEN) I Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography