Great Barrier Reef Management Strategies PDF

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Assess the effectiveness of the strategies that have been used to manage the threats to at least ONE ecosystem at risk....

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Assess the effectiveness of the strategies that have been used to manage the threats to at least ONE ecosystem at risk. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the East Coast of Northern Queensland and is vulnerable to degradation and extinction due to a combination of natural and human threats which leave the ecosystem vulnerable. A range of local, national and global management strategies have been implemented to manage threats, with varying levels of success. These strategies help to tackle issues such as tourism, deforestation, Crown of Thorns starfish populations, coral bleaching and cyclones. Management strategies aim to retain the biodiversity and life of the reef and control the threats. They are important in maintaining ecosystems for the survival of the world and human race. Tourism has posed a threat to the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem since the development of hotels and resorts places a strain on the coastal environments. Additionally, increased tourism in the Great Barrier Reef has meant increased litter. Boats also emit pollution through oil and fuel spills, rubbish and sewage. Furthermore, water-based activities cause breaking of corals and disruption of wildlife. Overall, tourism management has been handled well and has been used as an opportunity to educate people about the fragile nature of ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef and why it has to be protected. Visitors are encouraged to collect information about the health of the reef ecosystem and report this information back to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) via the Eye on the Reef app. The app also contains educational information that can help people understand the value of the reef. In 2004, the GBRMPA announced the creation of the Great Barrier Reef marine park zoning plan. Selected human activities are to take place within certain areas. 85% of visitors go to the reefs around Cairns or the Whitsunday Islands, which make up 7% of the overall reef area. This minimises the area of direct impact, ensuring the whole environment is not damaged. These areas are also carefully managed. Public moorings have also been implemented to allow boats to tie up without the need to use an anchor that can potentially dredge and damage the reef. The zoning also forbids anchoring in many parts of the reef, thus reducing the impact of boating. Zoning allows many parts of the ecosystem to be protected from local threats. However, it is difficult to police this rule and the GBRMPA cannot protect the reef from larger threats, such as climate change, illegal boating or invasive species. Overall, these management strategies have been mostly successful and has minimised the threats caused by tourism. The Crown of Thorns Starfish is a natural threat to the Great Barrier Reef which has been made worse by deforestation and land clearing. These coral-eating starfish are beneficial in small numbers since they help with the regulation of overgrown coral. However, since its predators have been extinct or endangered, their population is not controlled. Due to the extreme number of Crown of Thorns Starfish feeding on coral polyps, the coral population is severely degraded, which poses a great threat to the entire reef system, since the Great Barrier Reef has a low elasticity when it comes to the recovery of affected areas. This means that when a portion of the reef is degraded past a certain point it can take up to 15 years to regenerate. If the issue is not managed, the long-term repercussions of this will lead to irreparable damage. This issue is made worse by deforestation in coastal areas around the Great Barrier Reef. Land clearing results in increased surface runoff, including runoff of sewage, pesticides and pollutants, which all affect the conditions of the water. Additionally, agricultural run-off through river systems causes an increase of nutrients onto the reef. High nutrient levels can cause an increase in microscopic algae in the water, providing food for the developing Crown of Thorns larvae, which only escalates the issue. The GBRMPA has found a way to control the Crown of Thorns starfish population by injecting bile salts or vinegar into them through a modified drench gun, which is effective since it only targets the starfish population and does not harm surrounding organisms. However, the issue of Crown of Thorn starfish

populations is occurring on a very large scale throughout the whole Great Barrier Reef. Since this method only targets certain areas due to lack of funding, it does not effectively manage the overall threat of the species, especially when looking at the entire Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. In order to manage issues surrounding runoff, some management strategies have been put in place, such as building small dam-like structures in strategic places to slow the flow of water and trap sediments and silt. This has proven to be effective, though it only works in the areas where these structures are built. Overall, management strategies to help minimise the impact of threats such as Crown of Thorns starfish and deforestation have proven to be only somewhat effective, since they only target certain areas when these issues require larger-scale solutions. Climate change is the most significant human-induced factor that is inflicting serious harm onto the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem and the organisms that inhabit the reef. Climate change directly impacts the environment through many of its associated side effects, including increased sea level, changes in rainfall patterns, and increases in severe weather. Global warming results in warmer air and sea temperatures, which can lead to coral bleaching events. This has many implications, since coral reefs provide food for fish and other organisms, and protect against coastal erosion which can damage cliffs and beaches. Furthermore, global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones since cyclones derive their energy from warm oceans. Cyclones cause large volumes of freshwater to flood the reef from coastal river systems, impacting the salinity levels of the reef. Waves cause damage to habitats, landforms and rip apart softer corals. Turbidity of the water is increased which limits the amount of sunlight entering the reef. The impacts of climate change are complex and threaten every aspect of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. Adopting traditional management strategies and collaborating with indigenous communities has been somewhat effective in managing threats to the Great Barrier Reef. The Marine Park Authority and Traditional Owners are working together to integrate modern marine park management and traditional knowledge to protect this vulnerable ecosystem. The Indigenous Land and Sea Country Partnerships Program has been a major partnership over the past decade and involves a $20 million investment in Traditional Owner management of the Reef. The program also supported the development and implementation of Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements (TUMRA’s), which are community-based plans for management of traditional resources. These are officially recognised in legislation and are provided with funding that ensures the continuation of cultural tradition. Great Barrier Reef Traditional Owner groups work in partnership with the Australian and Queensland governments to manage traditional use activities on their sea country. They utilise knowledge and practices used by Aboriginals who have occupied the GBR for thousands of years. Their main management strategy is stewardship, which involves only taking enough resources from the reef to satisfy their needs. In doing this they do not disturb the dynamic equilibrium. For instance, the Woppaburra tribe around Keppel Island have 561 km2 where they have a relationship with tourist management and scientists to help manage the area. In the past 10 years, the area of sea country covered by TUMRA’s has doubled, which has helped build a level of trust and knowledge. Today, over 25% of the Marine Park coastline is managed under these agreements. Whilst this management strategy has been beneficial for local communities and areas around the Great Barrier Reef, solutions to climate change require cooperation on not only the local scale, but also the regional, national and global scale. The Great Barrier Reef is constantly under natural and human induced stress, which is destroying the natural equilibrium and biodiversity in the ecosystem. Tourism management has been effective in minimising human impacts on the GBR and traditional management strategies are paving the way for a more sustainable future, but there is still a long way to go in terms of management for issues such as deforestation, Crown of Thorns starfish, coral bleaching, cyclones, and climate change....