Abstract
Managers are moving towards implementing large-scale coastal ecosystem restoration projects, however, many fail to achieve desired outcomes. Among the key reasons for this are a lack of integration with a whole-of-catchment approach, the scale of the project (temporal, spatial), the requirement for on-going costs for maintenance, lack of clear objectives, a focus on threats rather than services/values, funding cycles, engagement or change in stakeholders, and prioritization of project sites. Here we critically assess the outcomes of activities in three coastal wetland complexes positioned along the catchments of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon, Australia, that have been subjected to restoration investment over a number of decades. Each floodplain has been modified by intensive agricultural production, heavy industry and mining infrastructure, urban/peri urban expansion, aquaculture development and infrastructure expansion. Most development has occurred in low-lying coastal floodplains, resulting in major hydrological modifications to the landscape. This has left the floodplain wetlands in a degraded and hydrologically modified state, with poor water quality (hypoxic, eutrophication, sedimentation, and persistent turbidity), loss of habitat, and disconnected because of flow hydraulic barriers, excessive aquatic plant growth, or establishment of invasive species. Successful GBR wetland ecosystem restoration and management must first include an understanding of what constitutes ‘success' and be underpinned by understanding of complex cause and effect pathways, with a focus on management of services and values. This approach should recognize these wetlands are still assets in a modified landscape. Suitable, long term, scientific knowledge is necessary to provide government and private companies with the confidence and comfort that their investment delivers dividend (environmental) returns.
Highlights
Connectivity of wetlands and drainage channels crossing coastal floodplains provides an essential habitat for a range of flora and fauna that hold cultural, social and economic values that deliver diverse amenity and ecosystem services (Baran et al, 2001; Amoros and Bornette, 2002; Buijse et al, 2002; King et al, 2003; Elliott and Whitfield, 2011; Elliott et al, 2016; Waltham and Fixler, 2017)
We evaluate current and developing institutional settings, in addition to funding opportunities that enable effective coastal wetland connectivity repair
Transitioning low-lying, marginal cane land to constructed wetlands has received recent interest as a cost-effective water quality improvement solution in the Tully Murray floodplain (Waltham et al, 2017). This interest extends beyond water quality benefits, with potential to provide an economic benefit to landholders through public/private market schemes investing in restoration “green” projects (Waltham et al, 2017)
Summary
Connectivity of wetlands and drainage channels crossing coastal floodplains provides an essential habitat for a range of flora and fauna that hold cultural, social and economic values that deliver diverse amenity and ecosystem services (Baran et al, 2001; Amoros and Bornette, 2002; Buijse et al, 2002; King et al, 2003; Elliott and Whitfield, 2011; Elliott et al, 2016; Waltham and Fixler, 2017) Because of their low-lying positions, these ecosystems are the receiving environment for runoff from urban, agricultural and industrial sites (Bulleri and Chapman, 2010; Sheaves et al, 2010; Barbier, 2013), as well as being the first line of exposure to climate change and sea level rise (Kelleway et al, 2017; Pettit et al, 2018). With further investment for implementation, we could be in a position to scale up efforts in order to work toward achieving the objectives set in the Reef 2050 Plan
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