Tracking ecosystem health before, during and after energy development

Protecting the environment is a key priority for Australia’s energy sector, particularly where projects operate alongside sensitive coastal ecosystems. This paper presents findings from over a decade of mangrove monitoring around Shell’s Queensland Gas Company facilities on Curtis Island, where surveys were conducted between 2010 and 2021 to track environmental health before, during and after construction. Thirty-two sites across construction zones, operational areas and natural reference locations were assessed to understand whether project activities had any lasting impact. Overall, results show no evidence of long-term damage to mangrove communities linked to the project. Variations in canopy cover, seedling density and species richness were mostly explained by natural tidal zonation, with large Rhizophora forests near the water’s edge and more mixed shrubland habitats inland. The only notable exception was a localised dieback recorded in 2017, potentially associated with short-term heat stress from flaring. This prompted additional investigation and closer monitoring. Encouragingly, strong natural recovery was observed in the years that followed, with healthy seedling recruitment and canopy regrowth. These findings highlight the value of long-term, science-based monitoring in supporting environmental approvals and stewardship. They also show that with transparent reporting and adaptive management, industry operations and important ecosystems can coexist. Sharing these lessons provides a practical example of rehabilitation and monitoring approaches that work, helping strengthen confidence in approval processes and reinforcing the role of environmental accountability in the future of Australian energy.