Marine urbanisation and eco-engineering

    Impact: Environment impacts, Policy impacts, Science impacts, Economy impacts

    Description of impact *

    Marine urbanisation presents a global ecological and developmental challenge, having already resulted in significant foreshore modification via seawalls and other structures. These artificial structures present a range of ecological problems, including replacement of natural habitats, loss of native species diversity, and the spread of introduced species.

    Currently, most artificial structures are built with a single purpose, such as coastal protection, energy or food production, but these structures can be designed and built to provide multiple functions, such as supporting biodiversity and water quality.

    This research has pioneered a framework for multifunctional eco-engineering of new marine infrastructure that contributed to the National Marine Science Plan is being implemented by Lendlease in Sydney.

    Evidence collected from extensive surveys, literature review and empirical testing have provided guiding principles for foreshore development at the Sydney Bays Precinct.

    Novel eco-engineering applications are also being developed and retrofitted to existing seawalls at increasingly large spatial scales through the ten collaborating countries in the World Harbour Project and the Living Seawalls initiative in Sydney Harbour.
    Impact date2014
    Category of impactEnvironment impacts, Policy impacts, Science impacts, Economy impacts
    Impact levelBenefit (mid)

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