VCMP's Citizen Science Drone Program Wins the 2020 Victorian Marine and Coastal Award

The Citizen Science Drone Program of the VCMP (Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program (VCMP) wins the 2020 Victorian Marine and Coastal Awards for Innovative Citizen Science.

Image Courtesy: Victorian Marine and Coastal Council

Victorian beaches are dynamic landform systems which change as they interact with waves breaking on the shore. Where this erosion impacts on beach access, amenity and the safety of coastal communities, it is necessary to understand these changes to inform how the beach might be managed.

The Citizen-Science Drones for Coastal Climate Change Resilience has been monitoring beaches, collecting data and contributing to coastal management and planning in sites across Victoria. A partnership between Deakin University, the University of Melbourne and Department of Environment Land Water and Planning, in collaboration with volunteer groups across the state, mobilises citizen scientists to conduct drone surveys at their local beaches.

The Victorian Marine and Coastal Awards 2020, are the first awards hosted by the Victorian Marine and Coastal Council (VMaCC) with the introduction of the Marine and Coastal Act 2018. The awards build on the history of the Victorian Coastal Awards, held since 2000, in celebrating the efforts and achievements of Victorians in protecting and enhancing coastal and marine environments

Congrats to the Citizen Science Drone Program and the DU Marine Mapping Group.