Global research helping restore Central Queensland's coast
World-leading biodiversity research is helping shape the future of coastal restoration in Central Queensland, with CQUniversity Principal Research Fellow Associate Professor Carolyn Lundquist bringing international expertise home to support healthier coastlines, stronger ecosystems and better decision-making for the region.
Over recent months, Associate Professor Lundquist has contributed to four major international publications, presented her latest research at the World Biodiversity Forum in Switzerland and worked alongside global experts helping shape the future direction of biodiversity science and policy.
While the work spans continents, its impact reaches regional communities.
Associate Professor Lundquist said the international collaborations were helping provide better tools to guide decisions about restoring and protecting coastal environments across Central Queensland.
"Nature underpins our quality of life, our industries and our communities, but every place values nature differently," Assoc Prof Lundquist said.
"Our research gives governments, industry and communities better information to make decisions that reflect those different priorities, whether that's restoring habitat for threatened species, protecting coastlines, storing carbon, supporting fisheries or recognising the cultural values of Traditional Owners."
The research tackles some of the world's biggest biodiversity challenges by improving the way biodiversity is modelled, strengthening links between climate and biodiversity science, and building greater international collaboration to support global conservation goals.
As a recognised leader in biodiversity futures research, Assoc Prof Lundquist has helped develop the internationally recognised Nature Futures Framework through her work with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
The framework encourages decision-makers to look beyond environmental outcomes alone by considering the social, cultural and economic values people place on nature.
That approach is now informing research at CQUniversity's Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), where international knowledge is being applied to identify coastal restoration opportunities across Queensland.
"One of the biggest lessons from our international work is that we shouldn't wait until someone asks where restoration should happen," Assoc Prof Lundquist said.
"We already know coastal restoration, climate adaptation and nature-based solutions are priorities. By preparing the science now, we can help governments and industry respond more quickly when opportunities arise.
"In places like Gladstone and the Great Barrier Reef, that means identifying restoration opportunities that deliver multiple benefits, from healthier marine habitats and stronger fisheries to greater coastal resilience and improved community wellbeing."
Assoc Prof Lundquist shared this work at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos, Switzerland, one of the world's leading gatherings of biodiversity researchers and policy leaders.
Her presentation showed how the Nature Futures Framework can identify priority restoration sites by balancing ecological, cultural and community values, drawing on case studies from New Zealand and Gladstone. The approach supports international biodiversity targets while providing practical tools that can be adapted for regional communities.
CMERC Director Professor Emma Jackson said the international collaborations reinforced the University's commitment to delivering research with real-world impact.
"Carolyn's work shows how global research can create tangible benefits for regional communities," Prof Jackson said.
"By combining international science with local knowledge and strong industry partnerships, we're helping ensure coastal restoration in Central Queensland is guided by the best available evidence while reflecting the values of the communities who depend on these environments."
Assoc Prof Lundquist's recent collaborations include publications in Nature Ecology & Evolution, Nature Reviews Biodiversity, One Earth and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, alongside researchers from leading institutions across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australasia.
As countries work towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets for protecting and restoring nature by 2030, the research provides new tools to help translate global ambitions into practical action for regions like Central Queensland.
