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NESP Marine Biodiversity The role of restoration in conserving matters of national environmental significance in marine and coastal environments Ian M. McLeod, Lisa Boström-Einarsson, Craig R. Johnson, Gary Kendrick, Cayne Layton, Abbie A. Rogers, John Statton Project E5 – The role of restoration in conserving Matters of National Environmental Significance 16 December 2018 Milestone 3 - Research Plan v4 (2018) Enquiries should be addressed to: Dr Ian McLeod ATSIP Building 145, James Cook University Townsville, Queensland 4811 Ph +61 7 4781 5474 Email: [email protected] Project Leader’s Distribution List NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub Damien Burrows The Nature Conservancy Chris Gillies Fisheries Research and Development Jo-Anne Ruscoe Corporation The Nature Conservancy James Fitzsimons Department of the Environment and End users and Energy stakeholders as per research plan Australian Coastal Restoration Network Preferred Citation McLeod I. M., Boström-Einarsson L., Johnson C. R., Kendrick G., Layton C., Rogers A. A., Statton J. (2018). The role of restoration in conserving matters of national environmental significance. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme, Marine Biodiversity Hub. Copyright This report is licensed by the University of Tasmania for use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia Licence. For licence conditions, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Acknowledgement This work was undertaken for the Marine Biodiversity Hub, a collaborative partnership supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Programme (NESP). NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub partners include the University of Tasmania; CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Museums Victoria, Charles Darwin University, the University of Western Australia, Integrated Marine Observing System, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW Department of Primary Industries. We would like to thank Dr James Fitzsimons and Dr Chris Gillies from The Nature Conservancy for helping to shape this project, Blanche D’Anatas for providing editorial support, Franciso Baena for providing fish data for the shellfish chapter, all the case study authors, Vishnu Prahalad from the University of Tasmania for editorial advice for the saltmarsh chapter, and the 60 attendees at the Marine and Coastal Habitat Workshop in Canberra which provided context and background information for this report. Important Disclaimer The NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub advises that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific research. The reader is advised and needs to be aware that such information may be incomplete or unable to be used in any specific situation. No reliance or actions must therefore be made on that information without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice. To the extent permitted by law, the NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub (including its host organisation, employees, partners and consultants) excludes all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 7 1.1 The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (C’th) ........ 8 1.2 Matters of National Environmental Significance ....................................................... 8 1.3 What is restoration? .................................................................................................. 9 1.4 History of ecological restoration .............................................................................. 10 1.5 Ecological restoration in Australia ........................................................................... 11 1.6 Considerations for restoration as a tool for the conservation of MNES .................. 13 1.6.1 How has the EPBC Act been implemented? ....................................................... 14 2 SEAGRASS MEADOWS .................................................................................... 17 2.1 Global role of seagrass meadows........................................................................... 17 2.2 Global status of seagrass meadows ....................................................................... 18 2.3 Success and failure of seagrass meadow restoration around the world ................ 19 2.4 Australian role of seagrass meadows ..................................................................... 20 2.4.1 Carbon stocks ..................................................................................................... 20 2.4.2 Stabilisation ......................................................................................................... 20 2.4.3 Associated flora and fauna .................................................................................. 21 2.4.4 Nursery areas and habitat ................................................................................... 21 2.4.5 Water Quality ...................................................................................................... 21 2.5 Australian status of seagrass meadows ................................................................. 22 2.6 Seagrass meadows and Matters of National Environmental Significance ............. 23 2.7 Success and failure of seagrass meadow restoration in Australia ......................... 27 2.7.1 Habitat enhancement .......................................................................................... 27 2.7.2 Location and species .......................................................................................... 28 2.7.3 Environment ........................................................................................................ 28 2.7.4 Techniques .......................................................................................................... 28 2.7.5 Duration .............................................................................................................. 33 2.7.6 Scale ................................................................................................................... 33 2.8 Recent advances and new ideas for seagrass meadow restoration ...................... 33 2.8.1 Case study 1: Translocation of the Ruppia tuberosa seed bank in the Coorong . 33 2.8.2 Case study 2: Facilitating natural seedling recruitment of Amphibolis spp. with artificial substrates .............................................................................................. 35 2.8.3 Case study 3: Collection, processing and broadcast delivery of Posidonia australis ............................................................................................................... 37 2.8.4 Case study 4: Activating dormant Halophila ovalis seeds to stabilise dredge slopes .................................................................................................................. 39 2.9 Matters of National Environmental Significance that could benefit from on-ground restoration investment ............................................................................................. 40 2.10 Other benefits from seagrass meadow restoration ................................................. 41 3 RESTORING KELP HABITAT IN AUSTRALIA ................................................. 42 3.1 Global role of kelp forests ....................................................................................... 42 3.2 Global status of kelp forests .................................................................................... 43 3.3 Success and failure of kelp forest restoration around the world ............................. 43 3.4 Australian role of kelp forests .................................................................................. 44 3.5 Australian status of kelp forest ................................................................................ 45 3.6 Kelp forests and Matters of National Environmental Significance .......................... 48 3.7 Success and failure of kelp forest restoration in Australia ...................................... 50 3.8 Recent advances and new ideas for kelp forest restoration ................................... 53 3.9 Estimation of the costs of implementation .............................................................. 53 3.10 Matters of National Environmental Significance that could benefit from on-ground restoration investment ............................................................................................. 54 3.11 Other benefits from kelp forest restoration ............................................................. 54 3.12 Potential indicators to be used in cost-effectiveness and subsequent monitoring of outcomes ............................................................................................................. 55 4 SHELLFISH REEFS ........................................................................................... 57 4.1 Global role of shellfish reefs .................................................................................... 57 4.2 Global status of shellfish reefs ...............................................................................
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