Mangrove Clic!

The Mangrove Hub conducts world-leading research into mangrove and tidal wetland ecosystems.

The Hub Team:

Dr Norm Duke

• Dr Norm Duke – mangrove grey one

• Jock Mackenzie – coordinator and extraordinary researcher
• Apanie Wood – the most impressive with report writing, project organisation and more
• Alex Heid – amazing volunteer post graduate student with our field programs and S-VAM analyses
• Ling (also known as Cherh Kah Leng (or Xu Qiaoling)) – amazing volunteer post graduate student with our education program

Capabilities and Expertise:

Jock Mackenzie S-VAMing Solomons

• Management of scientific research in coastal marine and estuarine habitats, particularly tidal wetlands;

• Environmental/ecological assessment of tidal wetland ecosystems for their services and conservation;

• Shoreline condition surveys and monitoring of coastal margins and fringing mangroves;

• Remote sensing survey and mapping of coastal vegetation, particularly tidal wetlands;

• Systematics, biogeography and genetics of mangrove plants;

• Impact evaluation of storms and other natural disturbances on mangrove habitat;

• Impact evaluation of oil & herbicide pollution on mangrove habitat;

• Restoration and replanting of degraded mangrove habitat.

S-VAMing Tongan style

Current Key Projects:

Mangrove Ecosystems for Climate Change and Livelihoods (MESCAL) with IUCN Oceania. Working with government teams for mangrove surveys in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. This program makes full use the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM), in conjunction with field plot surveys using the long plot method.

Mangroves of New Caledonia. The book about mangroves and tidal wetlands of New Caledonia. This is a botanical taxonomy and guide to the mangroves and saltmarsh plants of New Caledonia. Partners include Sabrina Virly, EMR Mine-R-Eaux Nord SARL and Koniambo Nickel SAS.

Daintree’s Hidden Coast with Earthwatch Australia. This program makes regular surveys 2-3 times each year using the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM), in combination with blue carbon surveys of local mangrove forests in both long term AIMS (20 X 20 m) plots, compared with rapid survey long plots.

Mangrove and tidal wetland surveys of Torres Strait with NERP and the Torres Strait Regional Authority. This program makes full use the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM) from helicopter circumnavigation of all major islands, in conjunction with field plot surveys using the long plot method.

Rehabilitation of damaged mangrove sites in northern New Caledonia. This program involves field surveys along with nursery and rehabilitation works near the Koniambo mine site. Partners include EMR Mine-R-Eaux Nord SARL and Koniambo Nickel SAS.

Biodiesel remediation trials of oiled mangroves. This project links with Carlo Mattone’s PhD program to investigate the effects of biodiesel with shoreline cleanup following large oil spills affecting mangroves. It has been delayed until we locate a suitable field site, but work is underway with the planthouse trials. This is an ARC Linkage Project with industry partner the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

MangroveWatch in Torres Strait. This is a collaborative project between TropWATER and MangroveWatch Ltd. This program makes full use the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM) working with the local rangers. The aim is to video as much shoreline as possible in each of the major island group jurisdictions. Partners include the Torres Strait Regional Authority.

MangroveWatch in Moreton Bay. This is another collaborative project between TropWATER and MangroveWatch Ltd. This program makes full use the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM) working with the local community volunteers based around Manley and Cleveland. Partners include Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, Ocean Watch Australia, SEQ Catchments and Brisbane Airport.

MangroveWatch in Burnett region. This is another collaborative project between TropWATER and MangroveWatch Ltd. This program makes full use the Shoreline Video Assessment Methodology (S-VAM) working with the local community volunteers and the Gidarjil ranger group based around Bundaberg. Partners include Burnett Mary Regional Group.

The Mangrove App! This is another collaborative project between TropWATER and MangroveWatch Ltd. It concerns the development of an App for iPhones and iPad devices that lists, describes and illustrates all mangroves in the world. Available now; for more information, see the website of MangroveWatch.

Mangrove Clic! Australia. This is another collaborative project between TropWATER and MangroveWatch Ltd. It concerns the development of an App for iPhones and iPad devices that lists, describes and illustrates all mangroves in Australia plus additional features to facilitate networking amongst MangroveWatch volunteers throughout Australia. Partners include Norman Wettenhall Foundation and Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland.

Community Saltmarsh Monitoring. An online course has been designed to provide volunteers or citizen scientists with the skills and techniques to monitor the health of saltmarsh ecosystems. The saltmarsh monitoring techniques were developed by TropWATER's Jock McKenzie, Marcus Sheaves, and Ross Johnson. Click here to read the latest report on the Bremner Rd, Hays Inlet, Community Saltmarsh Monitoring Program.

Mangrove rehabilitation works in New Caledonia

Equipment and Resources

The Mangrove Hub is equipped with extensive libraries of published articles on mangrove and tidal wetlands, aerial photographic imagery, methodologies for mangrove research and monitoring, and a variety of field survey and support equipment (e.g. digital still cameras with gps, video cameras with gps, field meters for water quality, global positioning systems). The TropWATER Centre also provides full administrative, computing and telecommunications support for all aspects of its research and and is well equipped for long-term field surveys.