The Coorong, Lower Lakes, and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Research Centre has established a Research Centre Advisory Forum to ensure a collaborative approach to the pressing climate challenges affecting the region. 

Climate change is placing significant pressure on the region’s delicate ecosystems with reducing river inflows, rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, more frequent and extreme climatic events, and habitat loss threatening biodiversity, ecosystems, and local communities.

This forum brings together representatives from Commonwealth, state, and local government, local councils, Landscape Boards, First Nations and the community to guide and oversee the Centre’s research program.

It has played a crucial role in prioritising research topics with input from more than 300 individuals from 50 organisations across the region.

Under the guidance of the forum, the CLLMM Research Centre has identified priority research topics across four research themes: Climate Adaptation and Ecosystem Services; Climate Mitigation; Threatened Species; and Biodiversity.

The Research Centre is also initiating research projects that address First Nations priorities, along with those that help to share knowledge and building capacity in the community.

Goolwa resident Deidre Nieuwenhuis is a passionate member of the CLLMM Research Centre Advisory Forum.

She is enthusiastic about the value of collaboration and knowledge exchange in setting the research priorities and addressing climate change impacts in the region. 

She highlights the importance of communication and the diverse perspectives presented within the forum, underscoring the synergy between scientific research and cultural wisdom.

Following its recent prioritisation process the forum identified nine priority research topics, along with flagship projects focusing on estuarine connectivity, climate adaptation, ecosystem services and carbon capture potential of the region. 

Other priorities include:

• Examining the socio-economic impacts of cumulative droughts and floods. Optimising water management in the CLLMM Region.
• Assessing the benefits and risks of landscape revegetation.
• Synthesising knowledge on drought ecology and recovery.
• Investigating coastal dune migration and protection.
• Studying ocean beach ecology and threats.
• Conserving small-bodied threatened fish, waterbirds, and monitoring floodplain mussel/Lokeri populations. 

Researchers interested in these areas will collaborate with CLLMM Research Centre staff to develop project ideas under the guidance of the forum. 

Updates on research projects will be available on the CLLMM Research Centre website, Facebook page, and through its newsletter.