MangroveWatch is a community-science partnership and monitoring program aimed at addressing the urgent need to protect mangroves and shoreline habitat worldwide.
Using the Shoreline Video Assessment Method (SVAM), local participants collect imagery of shoreline habitats that is sent to the Mangrove Hub, based at TropWATER, James Cook University. The data is analaysed to provide a comprehensive assessment of mangrove and shoreline habitat extent, structure and condition. The MangroveWatch data and imagery can be used to monitor changes over time, address current local threats, examine the effects of extreme events and inform restoration activities.
The MangroveWatch program began in 2008 in the Burnett-Mary region with support from Caring for Our Country an Australian Government Initiative.
MangroveWatch is now currently monitoring shorelines in Australia, Florida USA and 5 Pacific Island Nations; Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
In Australia, MangroveWatch monitoring being undertaken in the Torres Strait, Daintree River, Estuaries in the Port Curtis & Coral Coast region, Burnett River, Elliott River, Burrum River, Tin Can Bay, Noosa River, Pumicestone Passage, Brisbane River and Moreton Bay. There are currently over 300 registered MangroveWatch volunteers from 20 different corporate, non-government and government organizations. To date, over 1500km of shoreline has been filmed.
The MangroveWatch scientific hub is based at the Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), James Cook University, Townsville.
Visit the MangroveWatch website.
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