Co-presenter - Reef Resilience Symposium
Title
Co-presenter - Reef Resilience Symposium
Other - Specify
N/A
SPEAKER
N/A
Activity Type
Contribution to conference, workshop, seminar or course
Date
N/A
Description
Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Sea Country, southeast of Gimuy (Cairns), is culturally rich with high biodiversity values. However, understanding reef and seafloor habitats (e.g. seagrass) and how healthy they are in GMY Sea Country is a critical knowledge gap to support ecosystem management and areas of cultural significance (e.g. Sudbury, Stevens, Noggin and Maori Reefs) for generations to come. Together, GMY with JCU TropWATER have worked hand in hand to establish baseline data in a manner GMY Rangers can understand, add to, and report against for the ongoing resilience of GMY Sea Country and the Great Barrier Reef. Our multi-step project progressed through discussions and stories, skill and capacity building, on-Country training and culminated with the creation of benthic habitat maps (seagrass and coral) and integration with Great Reef Census. Collecting current habitat information supports GMY's goals of caring for Sea Country, maintaining a strong connection to place, empowering Rangers and the community to make informed decisions, fostering collaborations with local partners and maximizing employment and enterprise opportunities for Traditional Owners.