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MangroveWatch is coming to the Wide Bay area
Enthusiastic locals are joining a new Community Coastcare project to help look
after our valuable estuary and mangrove habitats.
MangroveWatch is a new initiative for local community groups and individuals
to monitor change taking place in mangroves and tidal wetlands of the Burnett
Mary region. Changes might be caused by climate or sea level rise, or due to local
disturbances and pollution.
The Community Coastcare, Caring for our Country, project is facilitated by the
University of
Queensland and supported by a range of stakeholders including: the Burnett Mary
Regional Group, Butchulla traditional owners, Coastal Water Quality Alliance,
Cooloola Coastcare, Cooloola Wild Dog Control, Xavier College, Burnett Heads Progress
Association, Friends of the Burrum, Ocean Watch Australia, Port of Bundaberg and
the Department Primary Industries & Fisheries.
As Cooloola Coastcare volunteer Peter Raynes says, “It’s about time someone got
smart
 about managing our mangroves”.
Mangrove facilitator and specialist at the University of Queensland, Dr Norm
Duke said “A key feature of this project is its close partnership between community
volunteers and marine scientists from the University of Queensland’s Centre for
Marine Studies.”
Science specialists will:
help train community members,
assist in selection of monitoring sites,
provide expert advice, and
together develop scientifically useful and practical assessment methods for habitat
health assessment.
With this assistance, community members will become better-informed custodians
of local waterways and tidal wetlands. An early objective is to find those who
will become River Keepers for the creeks and river estuaries of the region, like
Xavier College and their marine science students who have enthusiastically taken
custodianship of Eli Creek.
MangroveWatchers will collect samples and data for compilation and analysis together
with
 the university specialists. The plan is to prepare a public report for May next
year on key issues affecting local estuaries and mangroves, and their overall
health. The area covered extends from Eurimbula Creek in the north to Tin Can
Bay in the south.
For more information, or to participate in the MangroveWatch program, please
contact Dr Norm Duke, MangroveWatch Burnett Mary Region Facilitator, University
of Queensland, Centre for Marine Studies via phone on 07 3365 2729 or e-mail n.duke@uq.edu.au.
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