The past decade has witnessed a growing swell in data science capability, but those working in the environmental monitoring domain are increasingly aware of the redundancy of data collection without analysis; of increasing duplication of efforts; of the complexities of quality control; and of a lack of data translation into tangible actions.
Along the length of Australia’s UNESCO World Heritage Great Barrier Reef, five regional partnerships are busy working with local, industry, state, and national players to make sense of an increasing volume of available mainland water data, and to see the data make waves with decision-makers at every level.
Kara-Mae Coulter Atkins, Executive Officer for the Townsville-based Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters, shares the journey of Queensland’s coastal waterway and catchment data, from its collection points to its Commonwealth and C-suite influence.
From the technologies of data acquisition, through the development of robust models, indices and metrics, Kara shares the Partnership’s methods of collation and analysis, the de-identification and peer-review processes, the calculation of comparable year-on-year grades, and ultimately, the communication of easy-to-understand, cohesive results for use by industry, government, and community.
For environmental monitoring data to achieve its potential impact, collaboration and shared vision are crucial. The Reef Regional Report Card Partnerships are an example of collective effort converging to see the value of waterway data maximised to its last drop.