Blue and teal carbon potential in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth

Climate change affects the ecosystems and people in the CLLMM region. Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCE) like saltmarsh, seagrass and supratidal forest, as well as Teal Carbon Ecosystems (TCE) such as freshwater wetlands, can be part of the solution by capturing and storing carbon.

This project will establish the carbon abatement potential of marine and freshwater vegetation of the CLLMM region as a solution to mitigate climate change impacts, and to explore the benefits of wetland restoration for people and nature.

To lay the foundations for realising blue and teal carbon wetland restoration in the CLLMM region and adjacent wetlands, this project comprises four main areas of focus:

• Blue and teal carbon as a nature-based solution to climate change 
• Values and benefits of blue and teal carbon for First Nations 
• Co-benefits from blue and teal carbon conservation and restoration 
• Opportunities for blue and teal carbon – assessing the effects of climate change on BCE 

The outputs of the project will include an inventory and metadatabase of knowledge and data, maps and reports. The project involves a combination of desk-top work, field investigations, workshops and training. Field study sites will be representative for certain vegetation types and settings, and with different ages of revegetation to allow ‘space for time’ substitution.

The project has strong links with community, First Nations, councils, NGOs, and consultants. Representatives from these stakeholder groups have contributed to project scoping and will play an active part in the delivery of the project. There will also be opportunities for networking and capacity building through learning skills in field-based carbon assessment methods and taking part in workshops. 

The project informs management and decision-making by:

• Establishing foundational knowledge and data for future blue and teal carbon restoration projects and carbon abatement opportunities
• Providing evidence of the co-benefits of blue and teal carbon restoration for people, biodiversity and shoreline protection.

First Nations culture and traditions are rooted within an ancient historical connection with country and countless generations of studying their local environment as a way of life. First Nations traditional ways of life, including land and water management, sustainable harvesting, and the conservation of local species can provide vital perspectives into the ways we manage the lands and waters into the future.

This project explores the use of culturally significant aquatic vegetation species for carbon offset. This may promote increased focus and availability of culturally significant vegetation, supporting cultural practices and cultural values through habitat restoration for their Nga:tjar (totems) and food availability.