OzFish Unlimited joins the UN to tackle the restoration of ecosystems over the next 10 years 

The UN will today launch the 2021-2030 Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and acknowledges that community driven restoration projects undertaken by Australian charity OzFish Unlimited as key to turning back the clock on our planet’s declining health. 

The primary aim of the decade, which was officially launched today to coincide with World Environment Day, is to make conservation and restoration a priority. The aim is to create change and focus for the next 10 years to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on a global scale.  

OzFish is perfectly placed to contribute to ecosystem restoration on a wide range of key habitats across Australia. 

Already the organisation has more than 60 restoration projects underway covering a wide range of different aquatic habitats including saltmarsh and seagrass meadows, shellfish reefs, in-stream habitat in freshwater rivers, riparian zones and wetlands. 

From forests and farmlands to freshwater, oceans and coasts, the vitality and diversity of Earth’s ecosystems are the basis of human prosperity and well-being. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is an opportunity to help turn the tide over the next ten years and give people and nature a sustainable future.  

Depending on the type of ecosystem, for every dollar spent on restoration, you can expect on average between three and seventy-five dollars of economic benefits returned from its ecosystem goods and services. 

OzFish Unlimited founder and CEO Craig Copeland is humbled by the amount of restoration work Australian recreational fishers have carried out over the past five years.  

“OzFish Unlimited is proud to be one of the first Australian organisations recognised by the UN for our work on habitat restoration as part of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration,” said Mr Copeland. 

“We were approached by the UN after they came across some of our unique community driven seagrass restoration work – our Seeds for Snapper project. 

“I don’t feel Australia is truly leading the world in terms of how advanced we are, particularly with some ecosystems compared to other countries, but we are investing time and money, and that’s a good sign. 

“To meet the UN sustainable development goals, it is imperative that our ecosystem degradation must be reduced, and habitat restoration undertaken on a massive scale,” Mr Copeland said.  

Underpinning the ten-year commitment are three main goals: enhancing commitments and actions to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems; increasing understanding of the multiple benefits of successful ecosystem restoration; and applying this knowledge in education systems and within all public and private sector decision-making.