Australia’s seagrass meadows—vital for carbon storage, storm protection, marine biodiversity, and species such as turtles and dugongs—have suffered major declines due to human activity and climate change, with slow or no natural recovery.

To address this, Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG), in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Conservation International, Traditional Owners, and academic institutions, is leading a national project to develop and trial a scientifically robust, culturally inclusive seagrass environmental accounting methodology.

Certified under the Accounting for Nature Standard and aligned with emerging biodiversity credit markets, this method will support restoration efforts, enable the generation of biodiversity credits, and attract new finance streams. Through stakeholder co-design, regional field trials, and ranger training, the project aims to build scalable tools for conservation finance while prioritising Indigenous engagement and long-term ecological resilience.

The Seagrass Natural Capital Frameworks is jointly funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Conservation International.