Queen Mary shared photos from her ‘childhood street’ to mark Biodiversity Day.
In a personally-penned Instagram post, Queen Mary wrote that during March’s royal visit to Australia, she’d been able to see her ‘childhood street’ once more, the coast of Tasmania, “which stretches past Alum Cliffs” and “hides a rich and diverse ecosystem beneath the surface of the water.”
The coast of Tasmania contains dense forests of seaweed, which is home to hundreds of animal and plant species, though 95% of the seaweed forests have disappeared in recent decades dure to ocean warming and other factors, Queen Mary wrote.
“It’s a huge loss for the unique coldwater biodiversity,” she wrote, adding that the University of Tasmania has researchers working to restore the seaweed forests by replanting the sea urchin forest and harvesting sea urchins, and restoring crawfish that eat sea urchins. The university works with government, fishing companies, and the indigenous people to provide the service.
Queen Mary called the endeavour “an inspiring example of [how] acting local in community benefits us all.”
In the Instagram post, Queen Mary shared photos and videos taken by researchers at the University of Tasmania that coincided with hers and King Frederik’s royal visit in March.
King Frederik and Queen Mary visited Tasmania, and Mary’s hometown of Hobart, on the final day of their Australian royal visit. It was their first official visit to the area since 2005, though they have privately returned to Australia many times over the years.
During an impromptu speech in Hobart, Queen Mary said that she felt privileged “that my roots are grounded both in Australia and Denmark. But they do go a little deeper in Tasmania.
“There really isn’t a more special place to end what has been a unique, rewarding, moving, exciting, curious tour, state visit, to Australia from Denmark.”
