MEDIA RELEASE: Sugarcane farms near coastal wetlands better protected from cyclones, new study finds
Climate Media Centre
Sugarcane farmers in North Queensland may have a natural ally protecting their crops from cyclone damage — the mangroves and saltmarshes along their coastline. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology has found that agricultural fields within one kilometre of coastal wetlands experienced less flooding and lower crop cover losses following Tropical Cyclone Debbie, suggesting these ecosystems provide a meaningful buffer against extreme weather events.
Lead researcher Phebe Fidge, from the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions at RMIT University, said “Cyclones can have devastating impacts on coastal agricultural areas, and they will hit coastlines harder as the climate changes. In the Whitsunday region, widespread clearing of wetlands for agriculture in the 1950s and 60s has left farms vulnerable to extreme weather events. Our study shows that crop losses due to cyclone damage may be lower where farms are protected by mangroves and saltmarshes. Conserving and restoring these wetlands could be one of the most practical things a cane grower can do to build climate resilience”. ”
The study used historical satellite imagery and remote sensing analysis to examine how flooding and vegetation loss in sugarcane and mango fields varied across the Whitsunday Coast region following Cyclone Debbie, a Category 4 storm that made landfall near Airlie Beach in March 2017. Fields within approximately one kilometre of coastal wetlands showed measurably lower flooding and crop cover declines — the first study to provide this kind of spatially explicit evidence of wetland buffering signals for agricultural land.
“We know that coastal wetlands protect coastal infrastructure like roads and buildings, but this is the first study to assess wetland buffering signals on agriculture at a landscape scale. We found clear evidence of wetland buffering signals within one kilometre, which means the wetlands right next to farms are the ones that matter most,” said Phebe.
The findings carry added urgency given the scale of wetland loss in the region. Thousands of hectares of mangrove forests and tidal marshes were cleared along the Queensland coast between the 1930s and 1960s to make way for sugarcane expansion — the same industry that may now benefit most from their restoration. Phebe’s previous research has highlighted the scale of opportunity for coastal wetland restoration on degraded agricultural fields, and she claims the results provide a strong case for protecting and restoring remnant coastal wetlands in these areas, particularly as cyclone intensity is projected to increase with climate change.
“We’ve lost so much of these coastal habitats over the past century, but there are real opportunities to bring them back, especially on private lands, and emerging carbon and biodiversity markets mean landholders can now be rewarded for doing so! Even where market participation is not feasible, restoring coastal wetlands can still provide economic benefits for landholders” said Phebe.
Alan Farquhar is a sugarcane grower from Belmunda on the Whitsunday Coast. He has been recognised by the Queensland Government as a case study grower for his work improving crop productivity and Reef water quality by reducing nutrient run-off from his property. (Images of his property after Cyclone Debbie and flooding events can be found here)
“I've observed the effects of cyclonic flooding on my property for three decades and can see the benefits of a healthy mangrove wetland system in reducing the impacts of tidal inundation and wave action on my stream banks and farming land. I support research that can quantify these impacts” said Alan.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions at RMIT University and the Blue Carbon Lab at Deakin University, and is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sean Kennedy, Senior Media Advisor, Climate Media Centre — 0447 121 378 — [email protected]
RESEARCHER CONTACT: Phebe Fidge(Rowland), RMIT University — 0422 421 831 — [email protected]
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BACKGROUND
• The study — “Identifying predictors of tropical cyclone impacts on coastal agriculture to assess coastal wetland buffering signals” — is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology (March 2026). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.70335
• Tropical Cyclone Debbie made landfall near Airlie Beach on 28 March 2017 as a Category 4 cyclone, with peak sustained winds of 175 km/h. It caused widespread damage to sugarcane crops across the Whitsunday Coast region.
• Coastal wetlands — including mangroves and saltmarshes — are known to buffer storm surge, redistribute floodwater, and reduce wind-driven wave energy reaching the shore.
• Thousands of hectares of coastal wetlands were cleared along the Queensland coast between the 1930s and 1960s to enable sugarcane expansion.
• The study found buffering signals were most pronounced within approximately one kilometre of coastal wetlands — the first spatially explicit evidence of this effect for agricultural land.
• Beyond storm protection, restoring coastal wetlands on private agricultural land has documented co-benefits including weed suppression, improved soil conditions, and income diversification through emerging carbon and biodiversity credit markets.
• The research was conducted by the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions (RMIT University) and the Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre (Deakin University).
Contact details:
RESEARCHER CONTACT: Phebe Fidge(Rowland), RMIT University — 0422 421 831 — [email protected]
MEDIA CONTACT: Sean Kennedy, Senior Media Advisor, Climate Media Centre — 0447 121 378 — [email protected]