Community and stakeholder engagement formed an important part of the RRAP research and development phase, helping ensure that reef restoration and adaptation research was informed by diverse perspectives, values and aspirations for the Great Barrier Reef.
RRAP established geographically based Community Panels to enable deeper dialogue between community members, scientists and reef managers about emerging reef interventions under investigation by the Program. The panels provided opportunities for participants to learn about the science, explore potential benefits and risks, and discuss how interventions may align with community expectations for reef management.
The first Community Panel was conducted in the Townsville region between 2022 and 2023, bringing together community members from across the broader region to explore interventions being developed through RRAP. Learnings from this process informed a second Community Panel in the Cairns–Port Douglas region in 2024.
Alongside the Community Panels, RRAP convened a Stakeholder Advisory Group comprising representatives from key stakeholder sectors including reef tourism, aquarist industry and community organisations. The Group provided ongoing advice, feedback and strategic perspectives to support RRAP’s research, engagement activities and decision-making processes.