Learn how Project Restore is enhancing and regenerating urban marine habitats by recovering lost seagrass meadows, enhancing kelp forests, installing living seawall panels, and deploying artificial fish habitats at key sites within the harbour. Come along and hear about upcoming opportunities to get involved in restoring Sydney Harbour.

Project Restore is an innovative project on a mission to restore degraded seascapes in urbanised environments. This project is funded by NSW Environmental Trust and in partnership with the NSW Department of Climate change, Energy, the environment and water as part of the 3-year Seabirds to Seascapes program.

This event is organised by the Waverley Action Group in partnership with Waverley Council and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Paco Martinez-Baena is a Research Associate and Project Manager at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS). Currently Paco leads a one-of-a-kind multi-habitat restoration project, Project Restore, where his pursuing his passion of restoring seascapes. As a marine ecologist and restoration practitioner, Paco believes that we can bring back our degraded estuaries and their ecosystems from the brink of extinction, and that moving from habitat-scale to seascape-scale can assist in boosting the resilience of these against climate change and urban impacts.

Paco’s career has been focussed on marine habitat restoration and conservation. At the Nature Conservancy, Paco coordinated the first multi-habitat restoration approach in temperate Australia. At SIMS, Paco is combining his project management and applied science experience into Project Restore.

Paco is the current President of the Australian Marine Science Association (AMSA) NSW’s Branch, where he leads the coordination of Australia’s peak professional body for marine scientists from all disciplines promoting all aspects of marine science in NSW and Australia.