Managers always talk about using the best evidence to inform decision making but are often constrained by a lack of organised information. IDEEA Group worked with Deakin University and The Nature Conservancy to populate natural capital accounts for Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, near Melbourne, Australia. The accounts provide quantitative information on seagrass, mangroves and saltmarsh and can support local decision makers to effectively manage coastal ecosystems and the benefits they provide.
The Australian Mapping Ocean Wealth project represents three years of marine ecosystem service research, spatial mapping and communication for coastal wetlands in south-eastern Australia by several of Australia’s leading marine science and conservation institutions. The project is active across seven global geographies including the United States, Caribbean, Indonesia, Micronesia and Australia and has been used to improve spatial planning, protected areas, fisheries management, tourism and education.
Further information on the global Mapping Ocean Wealth program can be found at oceanwealth.org or by downloading the Mapping Ocean Wealth publication.