Speaker

Community-led strategies for tackling coastal erosion

Kelsie Fractal, Friends of Garden Island Creek

Garden Island Sands has a coastal erosion problem that has been rapidly gaining in severity since 2000. Frustrated that the council and other governing bodies were unable or unwilling to direct or assist, Kelsie and locals decided to take a community-led approach. They formed the Friends of Garden Island Creek as a dynamic group, taking into account the numerous skills and interests of their members, which has allowed them to work on a broad range of projects and problems. Some members have focused on the issues of coastal erosion, and in 2021 they successfully applied for a federal grant to investigate the cause of the problem as well as potential avenues for remedial works. Part of their mission is to share the knowledge they gain regarding processes that can be undertaken by communities affected by coastal erosion, as they consider this a challenge many communities will face.

Kelsie is a marine ecologist studying seagrass restoration and how communities can be engaged in habitat restoration projects. She is a strong believer in the power of community to effect change and is the proud custodian of a large parcel of bushland that has been tended by Kelsie, her family, her Landcare group and other community members

View Kelsie's Presentation at the Conference here: