Envite Environment in collaboration with Magnetic Island Network for Turtles (MINT), the ‘Turtle Friendly Climate Resilient Coastlines’ project will study the correlation between vegetation and the success rate of sea turtle hatchlings, in particular the Green and Flatback turtles that frequent nest on the island each year.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), in collaboration with Magnetic Island Network for Turtles (MINT) have been collecting turtle nesting data for over 15 years. The research has highlighted the negative impacts on turtle nesting success due to an increase the frequency of climatic extremes. The increase in sand temperatures, increases hatchling mortality rates and results in more female hatchlings being produced.

Our project will use a science-based approach to develop a coastal revegetation management tool, to not only improve turtle nesting habitat but promote the natural resilience of the coastline and reduce erosion of our coastal dunes. This data will then be used to guide coastal restoration activities at the key nesting beaches on Magnetic Island.

Community members will be invited to get involved in the project by submitting photos at a CoastSnap community monitoring station. These photos will document the changing shoreline over time and produce data that can be used to assist with shoreline mapping, helping scientists to forecast how coastlines may change in the coming decades.

The work from this project will feed into MINTs nest monitoring data to increase the robustness and allow for changes over time to be even more closely monitored.

Restoration activities will have multiple positive impacts to the environment with the aim of this project to reduce bulk sediment loss from coastal dunes ecosystems, promote natural resilience and improve turtle nesting success through community driven initiatives.

In collaboration with Magnetic Island Network for Turtles (MINT) and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services for allowing access to the nesting data and photos.