Mr Brett Dal Pozzo1, Dr Simon Reeves1, Dr Paco Martínez-Baena1, Dr Fiona Valesini1
1The Nature Conservancy, Albany, Australia
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in partnership with governments, businesses and coastal communities, is leading Australia’s largest marine restoration initiative to bring shellfish reef ecosystems back from the brink of extinction for the benefit of both people and nature. Since 2021, the Reef Builder project, initiated the protection and restoration of shellfish reefs at 13 locations, prioritising populated bays and estuaries across southern Australia
Having demonstrated the numerous ecosystem services that these shellfish reefs provide since TNC work began in 2014, rebuilding shellfish reefs also provide many socio-economic benefits. Rebuilding these reefs will help grow Australia’s ‘blue economy’ by providing a variety of coastal jobs in regional areas and sustaining marine-dependant industries like fisheries, aquaculture, retail, ecotourism and recreation. This presentation will provide an overview of what TNC has achieve to date, the services that these reefs are already producing and our restoration approach for this bold initiative to rapidly expand the restoration and protection of valuable shellfish reef ecosystems in Australia.
Presentation Slides – Brett Dal Pozzo
