The impacts of the harmful algal bloom continue to be felt across South Australia’s marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Amid this ecological disaster, an extraordinary level of public interest in the health and recovery of the marine environment has emerged.
This talk will reflect on the 25 Reefs Project, an ambitious community-based program restoring shellfish reefs at 25 locations dispersed across thousands of kilometres of coastline. Combining ecological science, shell recycling, local knowledge and hands-on restoration, the project is rebuilding lost marine habitats while testing how restoration can contribute to ecological recovery following a major disturbance. Strong community support for the project points to a growing appetite for people to participate directly in the recovery of their coastlines, while also bringing attention to marine habitats that have historically been overlooked, undervalued or simply unknown to the public.
The harmful algal bloom has provided a confronting demonstration of how quickly marine ecosystems can change. The response to it is also revealing something more hopeful: restoration can do more than rebuild habitat. It can make the invisible visible, reconnect communities with their marine environment, and turn ecological loss into collective action.