We are … But actually, they are helping to protect it! Climate change is the biggest threat to the Reef’s future. Don’t ride sea turtles and manta rays - It’s a great treat to see a sea turtle or large ray, they can be abundant on the Great Barrier Reef at times, but are in decline nearly everywhere else. It's a question a lot of Australians have been asking for years now and the good news is there are some ideas about how we … It keeps storms from causing damage to houses and people. Take action to protect the Reef. See what’s inside: “We recommend the use of reef-safe sunscreen free of oxybenzone,” says Peter Gash, managing director of Lady Elliot Island, near the Great Barrier Reef. Greater in size than the United Kingdom, Holland and Switzerland combined, and able to be seen from outer space, the Great Barrier Reef is an eco-wonderland – home to a vast range of mammalian, fish, and bird species. Parts of Opal Reef, a popular dive tourism site and one of more than 2,900 individual reefs that make up the Great Barrier Reef system, suffered catastrophic mortality during the recent bleaching. The main contributors harming the reef are climate change, intensive urban development, and farming. If coral becomes extinct in the Great Barrier Reef, the money and jobs created from the reef will become obsolete as well. Sit down and do some research into the tours you’re booking and always opt for eco-friendly offers. The recent Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report for 2009 (by the Australian Government) states that if we want to keep the reef alive we need to halt carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere at current levels around 400 parts per million (ppm). The World Heritage Committee meets each year to consider the state of conservation of world heritage properties. This will bolster efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef and help conserve marine animals such as turtles and dugongs. Around 65,000 people come directly in contact with the reef. Some tourism companies can offer you an incredible experience of the Great Barrier Reef while playing an important role in protecting the reef’s biodiversity that their industry relies on. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Seeing the reef is important in engaging us in its future, they argue, but the big elephant in the sky: aviation. A plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef will not prevent its decline. In recent years, there have been an estimated 14.6 million recreational visits per year to the marine park from residents in the GBR catchment, with an additional 1.9 million visitor days from tourists carried by commercial operators into the GBR.1,2 Tourism, recreational activities, and commercial … T he Great Barrier Reef is not a museum piece that can be preserved or maintained in any kind of constant state. Natural beauty aside, the GBR’s social and economic value is significant, particularly for the one million residents who live in the adjoining areas. To stop any further proposals for damaging activities, ACF and other community groups ran a national campaign to protect the reef under Australian law. New global communities of concerned citizens can help protect iconic places such as the Great Barrier Reef. Care for the Reef … How do we save the Great Barrier Reef? In the 1980s, we campaigned for the reef’s World Heritage listing – and won. The decision recognised the significant work by the Australian and Queensland governments, in partnerships with scientists, Traditional Owners, community and industry to further protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef with the development of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Su… Australia's Great Barrier Reef is great in every way. The reef does this by … But the scope of these remote communities must extend beyond mere 'slacktivism'. (Shutterstock) There are a whole number of methods to visit the … It can affect the Reef in a number of ways, including increased frequency of severe weather events, ocean acidification, rising sea temperature and rising sea levels. You can help to conserve and protect the Great Barrier Reef by moving beyond the negative press and doing one simple thing. A major challenge is to dramatically improve water quality in reefs adjacent to this land.But it’s not going to be cheap, with one recent estimate recommending a $10bn effort spread over 10 years to make any real difference (though new estimates of the real worth of the GBR makes this look like a worthwhile investment). See more from Rebooting the Reef.. Yes, says the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which issues permits to boat operators in the accessible pockets of the reef (about 7% of the total area). Clearly, the Great Barrier Reef is important and immediate action needs to be taken to protect it from disappearing. In July 2015, the committee met and unanimously agreed not to place the Great Barrier Reef on the world heritage ‘in danger’ list. A ustralia’s Great Barrier Reef runs for more than 2000km along northern Queensland’s coastline. 15, 2017, 2:00 PM The only sure way to preserve … Help protect these endangered species. In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef generates an estimated AU$6 billion in economic activity, according to the Queensland government. One of the world's seven natural wonders, it is a prized World Heritage Area, the largest coral reef system and the biggest living structure on the planet. But tour operators say much of the reef still thrives, and their boats can help protect it. The tourist industry in Australia regarding the Great Barrier Reef is massive. Oh, and it’s the largest living organism on Earth. One underrated service that the Great Barrier Reef provides is by protecting the shoreline. It sounds frightening to allow this many people in contact with an ecosystem we are so desperate to protect. North Queensland’s iconic Great Barrier Reef will be better protected thanks to the Morrison Government’s investment in a $36.3 million research facility near Townsville. Australia's Academy of Science says the reef is degraded and its condition is worsening. GoEco's Great Barrier Reef Conservation project works with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in monitoring the Park. Choose your excursions carefully. There’s only one way to save the Great Barrier Reef, scientists conclude By Dennis Normile Mar. “Indigenous rangers are critical to ensuring the health and sustainability of our environment, and we need the tools and … Currently, 80 per cent of tourism on the reef occurs in less than 10 per cent of the area of the Marine Park. 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