Taking out the Trash of Gladstone's Tidal Wetlands
Gladstone, QLD

Taking the Trash out of Gladstone’s Tidal Wetlands

Tidal wetland habitats provide essential ecosystem services. These ecosystem services include fisheries production, blue carbon storage and water quality improvement. Tidal wetlands also serve as effective traps for water-borne litter, preventing litter from entering nearby inshore marine environments. Pollution impacts in the form of dust, leachate, chemical spills and microplastics have the potential to adversely impact tidal wetland function. Recent aerial surveys of Gladstone’s tidal wetlands in June conducted by MangroveWatch revealed hotspots of declining tidal wetland condition potentially related to dust and poor water quality. Extensive plastic and other litter pollution along shoreline and in saltmarsh areas were also observed.

This project aims to identify and target pollution hotspots in tidal wetlands to improve tidal wetland habitat condition in the Gladstone Region. To achieve this, teams of citizen-scientists, community volunteers and traditional owner Indigenous rangers, will collect data on tidal wetland habitat condition and litter extent.