NESP MaC Project 1.9 - Quantifying the ecosystem services of the Great Southern Reef

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale study - "Quantifying the ecosystem services of the Great Southern Reef". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata. -------------------- The Great Southern Reef (GSR) is an interconnected system of reefs dominated by kelp forests spanning over 8,000 km along southern Australia. It is a global hotspot for marine biodiversity and endemism, and one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Kelp forests, however, are diminishing and evidence-based management is hindered without accurate estimates of their contribution to society and the economy. This project systematically compiled and synthesised existing data on the ecosystem values and services provided by the GSR, including market and non-market values. These assessments were aligned with existing accounting standards to ensure compatibility with ongoing and future efforts. The outcome presented the first steps in the iterative process of quantifying the economic value of ecosystem services provided by the Great Southern Reef. Outputs • Inventory of data collated and assessed for the purpose of developing ecosystem accounts for GSR • Final technical report with analysed data, including a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings (written)