This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "De-risking nature repair activities in Australian coastal and marine ecosystems". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.

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Coastal and marine ecosystems provide shoreline protection, water quality improvement, biodiversity habitat, tourism, carbon storage, and cultural values. In Australia, many of these systems have been degraded, while national and international commitments are increasing the need to scale up restoration and nature-based solutions (“nature repair”) in a coordinated and evidence-based way.

This project supported coastal and marine nature repair at scales relevant to national biodiversity and climate commitments by updating national stocktakes, compiling an evidence base, and scoping a coordinated framework for future investment and delivery. Existing databases, including the Australian Coastal Restoration Network and Living Shorelines Australia, were updated to improve information on restoration location, habitat type, intervention approach and outcomes.

Evidence on effectiveness, risks and success measures was compiled across ecological, engineering, environmental, legal/governance, socio-economic, Indigenous and regional case-study themes. Engagement with DCCEEW, state governments, non-profit agencies, Indigenous communities, researchers and practitioners informed a forward-looking framework covering objectives, site and action selection, risks and liabilities, decision-support tools, technical guidance, monitoring and evaluation, and Indigenous co-design and leadership.

The project outputs provide a framework to assist managers, funders and practitioners to understand where restoration has occurred, what approaches have been used, what risks need to be managed, and what evidence is available to guide future investment. This supports more coordinated planning and delivery of coastal and marine nature repair, including activities linked to blue carbon, biodiversity protection, and emerging nature repair markets.

Outputs

• Updates to Australian Coastal Restoration Network database, and the Living Shorelines Australia database [dataset]

• Draft national framework for coordinated nature repair [written]

• Final project report [written]