PARK WATCH Article December 2024 |

A health check for our vital mangrove ecosystems raise significant problems, but solutions exist, says Shannon Hurley, Nature Conservation Campaigner   

In their first global assessment, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List reports that 50 per cent of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are at risk. A further 20 per cent are Endangered or Critically Endangered.

The study identifies the mangroves in Western Port and south-east Australia as endangered, mirroring Victoria’s threatened species list. These complex webs of life, along with seagrass and saltmarsh, are vital for blue carbon sequestration. They provide significant benefits to both marine and human communities.

The mangroves of Western Port Bay form a vital habitat within its unique, tidally dependent wetlands. Here, you’ll find the southernmost population of White Mangrove (Avicennia marina), also known as Grey Mangrove, with the most southerly occurrence located in Corner Inlet.

Mangroves help protect coastlines, serve as nurseries for fish, and store carbon up to 40 times faster than land ecosystems. However, past clearing for agriculture and coastal development has led to a five per cent decline in mangrove habitat in Western Port since European settlement.

Western Port Bay and eastern Port Phillip are powerhouses of coastal blue carbon. They hold a quarter of Victoria’s blue carbon habitats and nearly a third of the state’s total blue carbon stores. A recent Deakin University report (Blue Carbon Opportunities at a Local Scale, conducted in partnership with the Western Port Biosphere and local councils) revealed a huge opportunity to restore nearly 800 hectares of historic mangrove forests and saltmarsh. This could be even more if we manage rising sea levels effectively.

Restoration efforts have taken place in Lang Lang, Jam Jerrup and Grantville, with university researchers and Landcare groups testing various methodologies.

A 2018 Melbourne Water study recommended further research into Western Port’s mangroves, including:

  • Biodiversity of mangroves in Western Port with a focus on invertebrate fauna.
  • Understanding on the effects of sedimentation and erosion on mangrove recovery and seedling survival.
  • Connectivity between mangroves, other habitats and wildlife.

Learning more about these factors is essential to safeguarding and strengthening Western Port’s incredible natural wonders. The next step is to protect these mangrove habitats from climate disruption and coastal development with a comprehensive and collaboration strategic plan.

Let’s protect what we love for generations to come!