Blue Heart Sunshine Coast making progress

It’s full steam ahead for the Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Project with preparations underway to host a Blue Carbon Research Forum next month (March).

 
Blue Heart Sunshine Coast making progress

Image: Geoff Hunter

It’s full steam ahead for the Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Project with preparations underway to host a Blue Carbon Research Forum next month (March).

The forum will bring together blue carbon and carbon farming industry experts to begin mapping out the phases of a blue carbon pilot project within the Blue Heart.

It will also identify opportunities to further research the storage of carbon in vegetation and soils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and benefits for our environment, community and economy.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the Blue Heart project was an Australian-first tripartite initiative being led by Sunshine Coast Council, in collaboration with Unitywater and the Department of Environment and Science.

“The Blue Heart project is a fantastic example of how council is taking action now to identify risks, and help our community prepare for the impacts of a changing climate,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“Working across approximately 5000 hectares on the Maroochy floodplain, the project seeks to deliver effective land and water management to proactively respond to a transitioning landscape through conservation, recreation, flood mitigation and new carbon storage opportunities.”

Further strengthening the conservation outcomes within the Blue Heart, council today (February 20, 2020) confirmed approximately 90 hectares of council-owned land within the project area would now be managed for conservation and added to council’s environment reserve network.

Mayor Jamieson said the lands, located west of the Sunshine Motorway at Coolum Beach, offered an exciting opportunity to establish an estuarine wetland, due to the frequent tidal inundation of the site.

“Through the Blue Heart project, council will work with landholders and local communities to explore land-use options for private properties.

“By working together, we can build the future economic and environmental resilience of our region, as we strive to achieve our vision to be Australia’s most sustainable region, healthy, smart, creative.

For more information about the Blue Heart, visit council’s website.