Coastal restoration

Project objectives

Regenerating Our Coast aims to advance the health and stewardship of our coastal ecosystems through meaningful ecological and social impact. The project will:

• Trial biodegradable structures to promote coastal regeneration, while assessing broader opportunities for these facilitated restoration techniques in Australia; and
• Educate and engage the public, stakeholders and industry on how facilitated restoration techniques can benefit the ecosystem at local scales and beyond.

Expected outcomes

The Regenerating Our Coasts project is restoring vital coastal wetlands in Western Port and Port Phillip Bay, enhancing biodiversity, shoreline stability and carbon storage. Now in its third year, restoration trials across seven sites have seen over 750 mangroves and 80 saltmarsh cores successfully planted, with strong survival, growth and natural recruitment. These efforts are helping to rebuild habitat, trap sediment and protect coastlines from erosion. The project has strengthened industry partnerships, fostered knowledge exchange through seminars and workshops, and empowered Traditional Owners and local communities through citizen science. We are committed to expanding this work to deliver long-term ecological and community benefits.

Project outputs

Expected completion: December 2025

CNPS Project Lead: 

Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett

Project partners and funders

Project objectives

This project aims to improve saltmarsh restoration by identifying optimal seed collection, germination, and planting conditions. It combines community engagement with scientific trials to test innovative seed delivery methods, develop adaptive monitoring protocols, and produce practical tools, such as a phenology calendar and vegetation ID guide, to support evidence-based, scalable restoration and conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems.

Expected outcomes

The project will deliver new insights into saltmarsh seed phenology, germination timing, and field performance under natural conditions, informing future restoration strategies. Community workshops will empower over 100 volunteers to contribute to seed collection and monitoring. Outputs will include a practical phenology calendar to guide seed harvesting, a coastal vegetation ID guide to support practitioners and citizen scientists, and field-tested seed delivery methods. Adaptive monitoring protocols will help track vegetation recovery and trigger timely interventions, improving long-term restoration success. Together, these outcomes will provide scalable tools and knowledge to enhance the resilience and restoration of degraded coastal wetlands.

Project outputs

Expected completion: Ongoing

CNPS Project Lead: 

Dr Melissa Wartman and Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett

Project partners and funders

Project objectives

This project aims to restore and protect saltmarsh, mangrove, and seagrass habitats in Western Port Bay. Key activities include mangrove revegetation to support erosion control, long-term ecological monitoring, and community engagement through on-ground and educational citizen science workshops to enhance the resilience of these coastal ecosystems.

Expected outcomes

The project will improve the health and stability of coastal wetlands within the UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Reserve. Restoration efforts will support carbon sequestration, shoreline protection, and biodiversity, including critical habitat for marine and bird species. Long-term monitoring will provide data to guide future restoration, particularly for seagrass ecosystems. Engaging over 200 community members in planting and outreach activities will foster lasting stewardship. The integration of ecological research, blue carbon assessment, and restoration science ensures scientifically grounded outcomes that contribute to climate adaptation, conservation, and long-term wetland resilience.

Expected completion: 2028

CNPS Project Lead: 

Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett and Dr Melissa Wartman

Project partners and funders

Project objectives

This program seeks to restore degraded kelp and macroalgal reefs in southern Australia through targeted sea urchin culling and kelp cultivation. By combining science with practical action, it aims to enable large-scale reef restoration across the country. Professional dive teams, trained community volunteers, and local fisheries will work together, supported by innovative incentives such as sustainable sea urchin harvest and emerging biodiversity credit opportunities. Monitoring by research institutions and citizen science programs will generate robust ecological data to guide adaptive management, while embedding community values and stewardship at the heart of restoration.

Expected outcomes

The program will enhance reef biodiversity, create habitat for key fisheries species, and strengthen overall ecosystem resilience, while unlocking opportunities for blue economy growth and biodiversity credits. Community engagement and fisheries involvement will foster stewardship, coastal literacy, and active participation in marine conservation. By uniting science, industry, community, and government, the project will catalyse kelp and macroalgal restoration across southern Australia, creating a scalable model that delivers long-term ecological health and socio-economic benefits.

Project outputs

CNPS Project Lead

Dr Paul Carnell

Project summary

This PhD research aims to improve wetland management using a multidisciplinary approach. It focuses on assessing the potential for carbon finance to support restoration, evaluating the impacts of climate and human activities on wetland ecosystems, identifying opportunities for wetlands to move inland as sea levels rise, and examining how protected areas can help sustain these valuable ecosystems. The research will generate practical insights to inform policy, investment and conservation action.

PhD student: Nipuni Perera (nipuni.perera@student.rmit.edu.au)

Project summary

This research explores how regenerative tourism can support the restoration and conservation of blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes) amid growing concerns about tourism-related emissions and coastal degradation. Using mixed methods including stakeholder interviews, public surveys, spatial mapping of tourism in BCEs, and case study analyses, the research explores governance, perception, and policy gaps. It critically evaluates current restoration initiatives and highlights mismatches between tourism-related restoration efforts and its outcomes. The research culminates in a conceptual framework linking blue carbon tourism to global goals such as climate action, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development, offering practical pathways for a regenerative future.

PhD student: Ahalya Suresh (ahalya.suresh@student.rmit.edu.au)

Project summary

This PhD research evaluates the effectiveness of restoration techniques, including livestock exclusion and tidal reinstatement, in promoting ecological recovery in degraded saltmarshes across Victoria. Using a multidisciplinary approach combining field-based biodiversity surveys, eDNA metabarcoding, functional trait analysis and PFAS contamination assessments, the project aims to identify indicators of restoration success. The study will generate evidence on the ecological outcomes of saltmarsh restoration providing a scientific foundation for future conservation policies, and nature-based market mechanisms.

PhD student: Agustina Adrogue (agustina.quadri.adrogue@rmit.edu.au)

Project summary

This project investigates the composition, viability and dispersal of seeds in soil seedbanks across restored and natural saltmarshes in Victoria. Using soil cores and seed traps placed across tidal elevation gradients and varying site conditions, the study examines how seed ecology influences germination success. This work addresses a critical gap in understanding the role of seedbanks in saltmarsh recovery.

Honours student: Natasha Tropeano (s4150946@student.rmit.edu.au)