SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTHWEST

Interview with Mandy Polley; Nature Conservation Margaret River Region.

What is your role at Nature Conservation Margaret River?

I am the Coastal Officer for the organisation.

What do you love most about the job you do/role you play in your organisation?

I love that I am lucky enough to work protecting the incredible, biodiverse coastline in the Margaret River region. I work with the most dedicated and passionate people, many of them volunteers, and they inspire and motivate me.

What are the key issues/concerns for coastal and marine environments in your area?

I would say that the key issues of concern for the coastal environment are around uncontrolled/increased access from growing visitation (from tourists and locals alike), the lack of infrastructure and resourcing to manage this growing visitation, and climate change.

How are these issues being addressed by your organisation?

We work cross-tenure with land managers and community groups on the ground to protect and rehabilitate sites identified as priority along our coastline. This includes actions such as fencing, brushing, weed control and revegetation. We ensure we stay informed about best practice coastal management guidelines and adapt if/when needed. Regarding climate change, unfortunately as we are all aware there is not much we can do except stay informed and integrate new practices into on-ground action to help ensure success, including watering of new plantings if necessary.

If you could wave a magic wand to change anything in your local coastal marine environment, what would you do?  Why?

I would significantly increase prioritising and resourcing to manage our precious natural environment, and HALT global heating.