Can coastal floodplains of north Australia survive ferals and rising seas?

Tropical Coastal Floodplains are an iconic feature of northern Australia; however, they are experiencing widespread degradation due to complex interactions between feral ungulates and relative sea level rise. Using cross-cultural multidisciplinary methods, this project will discover if feral ungulate control by the Aboriginal Yirralka Rangers will reduce vegetation decline and erosion and enhance floodplain resilience to sea level rise. This project will provide significant new data to inform feral ungulate management strategies as well as coastal carbon models as these processes are likely to create a carbon source rather than sink. Our collaborative science will have local to national benefits for natural and cultural resource management.