New research shows bank protection works reduce erosion and store carbon

It's official! Bank protection works can result in more carbon storage as well trapping sediment to keep waterways healthier.

The ability of mangroves to trap sediment and in doing so store carbon was put to the test by Southern Cross University (SCU) researchers recently at a research site at Emigrant Creek near Ballina.

The SCU researchers are monitoring the growth of mangroves that have established from the installation of a log fillet bank stabilisation project at Emigrant Creek near Ballina has recorded impressive results.

Not only have mangroves and saltmarsh recruited since installing the log fillets, but they have also been storing huge amounts of carbon in the soil as they grow.

‘Log fillets’ are structures built in front of an eroding bank that absorb wave action and create an area of still water between the fillet and the bank. This leads to the collection of sediment allowing the regeneration of mangroves.

Shaun Morris from North Coast Local Land Services has been involved in the bank stabilisation project at Emigrant Creek.

He said these results from Southern Cross University were impressive.

“Researchers found the site is storing carbon at a rate up to 100 times the normal global blue carbon accretion level per year,” he said.

“It’s great to see this research showing how much carbon the new mangroves and saltmarsh growth areas at Emigrant Creek are storing as they grow.”

Mr Morris said corrugated log fillets were initially installed to prevent soil eroding into the Richmond River.

"The main aim of installing the log fillet structures along Emigrant Creek is to protect riverbanks from erosion and trap sediment within the mangrove embayment area,” he said.

"It's great to see that not only are these structures doing their job protecting the Riverbank from erosion by allowing mangroves and saltmarsh to establish, but they are also creating additional benefits," Mr Morris said.

"Not only do the mangroves and saltmarsh create fantastic fish habitat, but we can also see from this research the huge amount of blue carbon that can be stored in the soils of estuaries if the settings are right," he said.

The bank stabilisation works at Emigrant Creek were facilitated by Local Land Services as part of the Riverbank stabilisation project.

The Riverbank stabilisation project is a Local Land Services project funded under the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy to protect riverbanks from erosion and reduce the amount of sediment entering waterways.

To find out more about our bank stabilisation project go to Riverbank stabilisation.