ICM at the Joint National Coast to Coast Conference & Qld Coastal Conference

We were delighted to attend, sponsor and present at the 16th National Coast to Coast Conference, which was held in partnership with the 8th Queensland Coastal Conference! International Coastal Management (ICM) contributed to crucial talks on how to make our coastlines more resilient, how to manage them sustainably, and how to come up with innovative and new ideas for the future of our coastlines.

At the conference, we shared our expertise, agile approach and key coastal insights by delivering three presentations by members of our expert team. These talks showcased how ICM is taking a new and innovative approach to solving coastal challenges.

Sam King’s Presentation on Urban Dunes as a Coastal Defence

The first session from our team, which was led by Sam King, focused on the role of urban dunes in protecting coastal communities. This session was particularly timely, following the recent Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred impacts on Queensland’s coastline. Sam's talk showed how the formation and maintenance of urban dunes have changed over the years, and how they can work as a nature-based solution for coastal urban cities.

Queensland's well-managed urban dunes have become essential for enhancing coastal resilience, aiding in natural recovery post-storm events, and maintaining vital ecological health. By integrating native vegetation and ensuring proper dune management strategies, urban dunes not only serve as coastal defences but also as crucial habitat buffers.

Urban Dunes as Coastal Defences ICM_coast to coast.pdf

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Angus Jackson on the Role of Pilot Projects in Building Resilience

Angus Jackson, ICM’s Founder and Co-Director, gave a talk on “Innovative Coastal Management: The Role of Pilot Projects in Building Resilience”. One of the key themes was that pilot projects are iterative and adaptable, which means that they can be improved over time through learning, experimentation, and community involvement. This makes them an effective tool in building coastal resilience in response to ongoing environmental challenges, such as sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and storm surges.

Angus used ICM’s long history of running successful pilot projects to showcase Queensland’s legacy in this area, noting the significant influence these pilot projects have had globally. These pilot-driven projects show how coastal communities, engineers, and planners can work together to test and improve ways to protect coastlines while also balancing economic, ecological, and social needs.

One of the key points Angus made was that, even when pilot projects do not meet all expectations, they still fuel innovation and provide valuable lessons that inform future efforts in coastal resilience. This collaborative and experimental approach is central to ICM’s work in delivering innovative and sustainable coastal solutions.

The Role of Pilot Projects in Coastal Resilience ICM.pdf

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George Freeman on Enhancing Marina Operations

George Freeman gave our final presentation, which focused on “Enhancing Marina Operations Through Advanced Dredging & Maintenance Techniques”. His talk focused on how our hybrid dredging methodologies were successfully applied to high-traffic marina environments, using precision dredging and commercial diver-assisted suction removal techniques. This approached allowed us to manage sediment accumulation while minimising operational marina disruptions.

Enhancing Marina Operations_ICM.pdf

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Qld Coastal Conferences

The QLD coastal conference was a great opportunity for ICM to share our expertise and keep the conversations driving forward on coastal resilience solutions. It was great to reconnect with council, peers, and innovative thinkers in coastal engineering, environmental management, and community planning.

This theme of this year's conference, “Embracing our Coastal Lifestyle: Connecting our Experiences with the Future,” reminded us of how important it is to learn from our past while using new information to build strong coastal communities for the future.

As we continue to work towards building resilient coastlines, we look forward to connecting with more like-minded individuals and organisations to advance the coastal management field. We are proud to contribute to the knowledge-sharing that helps shape the future of coastal sustainability in Australia and globally.

Thank you to the organisers, participants, and all who visited our booth. Let's keep talking!

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