Dr Valerie Hagger is an ecologist and research fellow at the University of Queensland (UQ) exploring the social-economic and biophysical conditions that enable effective conservation and restoration of mangroves globally and in Australia. Her research has focussed on improving the success of ecological restoration and delivering multiple benefits for biodiversity and carbon. Valerie also has experience in blue carbon science, on developing guidance to countries on how to incorporate coastal wetland ecosystems into national greenhouse gas inventories. She also leads a project on developing a framework to select coastal wetland restoration sites for blue carbon, considering economic feasibility, biophysical suitability, and wetland values. Before her PhD, she was a senior ecologist with an environmental consultancy, and has 12 years ecological and environmental project experience in both Australia and England. Valerie is currently on the board of the Society of Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA), is SERA’s representative of Australia’s Restoration Decade Alliance, and on the management committee of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at UQ.