Science-based Management of the Impacts of Climate Change on Rainforests, Reefs and Human Communities in north Queensland

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1 Science-based Management of the Impacts of Climate Change on Rainforests, Reefs and Human Communities in north Queensland Dr Suzanne Long Senior Scientist (Synthesis)

2 Image courtesy Michael Koppman

3 How can we improve the rate at which science helps to solve our real-world problems?

4 To improve rate of uptake: End user engagement Project management Knowledge brokering The Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh (right), being briefed by RRRC Managing Director, Sheriden Morris Holmes J & Clark R (2008) Enhancing the use of science in environmental policy-making and regulation. Environmental Science & Policy 11:

5 an independent, nonprofit company represents a consortium of researchers, industry and community organisations manages and delivers solution science for the tropics

6 Among other projects, the RRRC manages and delivers the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) aims to increase the sustainability of management and use of north Queensland s environmental assets Wet Tropics rainforests and catchments, Great Barrier Reef, and Torres Strait over 300 scientists, 15 research providing institutions, 38 end user organisations $40 million in federal funding from the Australian Government s Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) program, all research results freely and publicly available (

7 Planning for climate change in the tropics The latest and most detailed climate change projections for north Queensland (Dr Suppiah Ramasamy, CSIRO): Wetter wet seasons and drier dry seasons More frequent, more intense cyclones Increases in sea level and ocean acidity

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10 Flooding in Torres Strait (left) and Cairns CBD, 12Jan09 Image courtesy Michael Koppman

11 How is this science being delivered? Formed the basis of a RRRC submission to an Australian Government Parliamentary inquiry into the impact of climate change on coastal communities Supplied to the Queensland State Government s Climate Change Office and used in its regional assessments of climate change impacts RRRC briefings to local, state and federal government, as well as NGOs Australian Climate Change Minister, Senator Penny Wong (left), being briefed by RRRC Managing Director, Sheriden Morris

12 Managing the impacts of climate change on rainforests Sinks becoming sources? Significant shifts in primary productivity expected (Dr David Hilbert, CSIRO) Understanding the links between productivity and biodiversity (A/Prof Steve Williams, JCU; Dr Mike Liddell, JCU; Prof Nigel Stork, UniMelb) Developing methods to identify species most at risk, as well as likely climate refuges (A/Prof Steve Williams, JCU)

13 Herbert River Ringtail Possum (Pseudochirops herbertensis) % % % % 1.0 5% Temp. Seasonality

14 Rainforest revegetation: challenges and opportunities Improving rainforest revegetation outcomes (A/Prof Carla Catterall, GU; Dr John Kanowski, AWC) Calculating relative carbon biosequestration rates of reveg rainforest and monoculture plantations (same authors) Toolkit (right) to assist non-specialists in monitoring and maintaining rainforest revegetation projects for biodiversity recovery and carbon storage

15 Managing rainforest biodiversity Control of invasive weeds is important for maintenance of biodiversity in tropical forest fragments (Dr David Westcott, CSIRO) Indigenous knowledge to control pest fish species (Monica Grattani, CSIRO) Generating knowledge needed for management of threatened species (spectacled flying fox, cassowary) (Dr David Westcott, CSIRO) Improving the effectiveness of natural resource management efforts at a local community level (Dr Ro Hill, CSIRO) Tracking community attitudes to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (Dr Julie Carmody, JCU)

16 How is this science being delivered? Contributing to discussions of how publicly-funded environmental projects can be better managed and audited in Australia (Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett) Rapid assessment protocol for calculating the amount of carbon sequestered by revegetated rainforest will be supplied to the National Carbon Accounting System contributing to threatened species recovery plans helping to generate community consensus about conservation priorities (Mission Beach cassowaries) RRRC briefings to local, state and federal government, as well as NGOs

17 Managing coral reefs for resilience to climate change investigating genetic capacity for corals to adapt to increasing temperatures (Dr Madeleine van Oppen, AIMS) increasing understanding of areas of reefs naturally vulnerable or resilient to bleaching events (Dr Craig Steinberg, AIMS) early warning system for outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish and coral disease (Dr Hugh Sweatman, AIMS; A/Prof Bette Willis, JCU) developing integrative spatial mapping tools for management the Reef Atlas (AIMS and RRRC)

18 The Risk, Resilience and Response Atlas (Reef Atlas) Enhancing knowledge-based decision making for the Great Barrier Reef Making integrated, synthesised information about reef health accessible, understandable and useful for public policy Incorporating data produced by MTSRF-funded researchers and external partners Collaboratively-generated information can be displayed and manipulated spatially via Google Earth or (soon) collaborative project led by RRRC and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (Dr David Souter, RRRC; Dr Glenn De ath, AIMS; Dr Katharina Fabricius, AIMS)

19 Coral reefs, water quality and climate change Developing robust measurable indicators of water quality (Dr Katharina Fabricius, AIMS) Methods for remote sensing of water quality and flooding (Dr Michelle Devlin, JCU) Tracing the source of pollutants from reef to catchments (Jon Brodie, JCU) Modelling the connection between water quality and bleaching susceptibility (Dr Scott Wooldridge, AIMS)

20 Changing tropical land use practices for improved environmental and economic outcomes Improving the cyclone resilience of farms, and inclusion of environmental considerations in cyclone response programs (Prof Steve Turton, JCU) Increased understanding of the incentives for and constraints to practice changes within the agricultural sector (Prof Iain Gordon & Dr Martijn van Grieken, CSIRO) Planning and management of nature-based tourism industry (Dr Bruce Prideaux, JCU)

21 How is this science being delivered? Water quality guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef are based on the best science available (GBRMPA) RRRC manages and delivers GBRMPA s Marine Monitoring Program GBRMPA is participating in Reef Atlas trials and delivery RRRC briefings to local, state and federal government, as well as NGOs Sheriden Morris (RRRC), David Souter (RRRC) and Katharina Fabricius (AIMS) demonstrate the Reef Atlas to Australian Primer Minister, Kevin Rudd (seated).

22 Managing the impacts of climate change on people investigating the potential for changes in distribution and incidence of ciguatera (A/Prof Kirsten Heimann, JCU) and marine stinger risk (irukandji; Prof Mike Kingsford, JCU) consequences of climate change for indigenous communities (Dr Donna Green, UNSW) including likely impacts on hunted animals such as turtles (A/Prof Helene Marsh & Dr Mark Hamann, JCU)

23 Managing the impacts of climate change on people (continued) investigating the preparedness of businesses, industries and the general public to adapt to climate change in the tropics (Dr Steve Sutton, JCU; Prof Iain Gordon, CSIRO) forecasting the likely economic impacts of climate change on north Queensland s biggest industry tourism (A/Prof Steve Turton, JCU)

24 How is this science being delivered? knowledge repatriation in the Torres Strait RRRC briefings to tourism industry about impacts of climate change RRRC briefings to local, state and federal government, as well as NGOs annual MTSRF conference will be in Townsville, th April 2009, all welcome! Managing Director of RRRC, Sheriden Morris (left), visits the Chair of the Torres Strait Regional Council, Toshie Kris (right).

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