Existing managment strategies resulting in site becoming more sustainable

Management Strategy 1 - Reduce chemical runoff

Over the past 150 years the damaging chemical runoff flowing from land and entering the reef has quadrupled. This is mostly due to grazing and cropping expansion and the decrease in native vegetation and wetlands. It’s leaving the Great Barrier Reef under serious threat, with parts of it being poisoned to death.

What this management strategy aims on doing is decreasing the amount of chemical run off. Numerous approaches have been made to achieve this. Firstly, Queensland Government passed legislation to reduce sediments from farming land flowing into the reef. Those who don’t cooperate with the new legislation will incur a fine of up to $30,000.

On July 2nd this year, Kevin Rudd pumped $50million into the new project put in place to protect Great Barrier Reef from run off of agricultural chemicals and nutrients. The grant will fund farming groups and natural resource management bodies as well as the World Wide Fund for Nature.

If the farming groups involved cooperate and the appropriate management techniques are put in place, we will hopefully see a decrease of around 25% by next year.