Calling on Gladstone community for coastal marine support
A CQUniversity-led citizen science project is calling on community volunteers to collect seagrass flowers from Pelican Banks in Gladstone for use in seagrass restoration, with the next collection happening tomorrow (Saturday, 31 August).
CQUniversity's Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC) Professor Emma Jackson encouraged all members of the community – young and old – to register their interest.
“All you need is a wide-brim hat, long-sleeved shirt and pants, wetsuit boots or old sneakers, sunscreen, a water bottle and your enthusiasm to help our marine ecosystems,” Professor Jackson said.
The seeds collected will be processed and used in restoration projects, with the aim of identifying the most effective methods for dispersing seeds, leading to successful seedling establishment.
Seagrass flower collection forms a part of the Reef Islands Initiative, a Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) program.
GBRF Senior Program Manager Clarissa Elakis said the Great Barrier Reef was home to the largest seagrass ecosystem on the planet at more than 3.5 million hectares.
"The Pioneer Bay seagrass meadows are an important nursery and food source for endangered species like the turtle and dugong and helps filter pollutants like fine sediment and nutrients from the water. But it also has another critical job – mitigating climate change by storing carbon," she said.
“However, as the climate continues to change, more severe and frequent cyclones like Cyclone Debbie which severely impacted the regions seagrass meadows in 2017, are impacting the Reef’s seagrass meadows.”
Collection dates for Gladstone are:
- Saturday, 31 August
- Sunday, 29 September
- Saturday, 16 November
Participants should meet at the Curtis Ferry (complimentary tickets - registration required).
"We’re providing the community with a proactive method to help restore seagrass.” Professor Emma Jackson said.
The Reef Islands Initiative is supported by funding from Lendlease, the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, the Queensland Government and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation, and locally coordinated by Reef Catchments.
To register to attend or for more information email cmerc-admin@cqu.edu.au.
