Coral Reef Stewardship in action - Credit Hadley John Edomondson

Coral reefs are under increasing threat from climate change, but site stewardship is providing hope for local reefs. In this talk Ms Lorna Howlett will discuss the current state of the Great Barrier Reef and how a UTS led initiative with local communities are working together to restore key sites on the reef. The Coral Nurture Program was named an official actor for the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration by the United Nations in 2023.

About the Presenter: Ms Lorna Howlett, Climate Change Cluster (C3)
Ms Lorna Howlett (University of Technology Sydney) is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Future Reefs research team at UTS. Her research focuses on examining effectiveness of coral propagation and out-planting activity on the Great Barrier Reef, including how fine-scale genetic differences regulate survivorship in important coral species used for restoration. Lorna has worked within the reef tourism industry for 5 years prior to starting her PhD and becoming involved with the Coral Nurture Program – a partnership between tourism operators and researchers.

This event aligns with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs):