New, ground-breaking projects are improving the quality of water flowing to the Great Barrier Reef and delivering positive results for the health of this global icon.
The Delivering Reef water quality outcomes publication, released today by the Federal and Queensland Governments, underlines the benefits of major investments in innovation and new technologies are having on the reef.
Joint investment from the Federal and Queensland Governments, delivered in partnership with other organisations, has allowed landholders to improve farming practices and reduce pollutant run-off.
More than 100 sugarcane farmers in the Burdekin and Wet Tropics regions, managing more than 27,800ha, applied 643 tonnes less fertiliser nitrogen in 2017-2018 through the Reverse Tender projects.
Project Pioneer has seen 44 graziers improve land management practices on more than 788,700ha.
More than 500ha across 170 gullies have been managed under gully and streambank erosion projects, reducing sediment run-off into Reef catchments.
Through a partnership with Greening Australia and the Reef Trust, more than 30ha of coastal wetland and riparian habitat has been reinstated and 4500 trees were planted up to June 2018.
Federal Minister for the Environment, the Hon Melissa Price MP, congratulated landholders for taking action to improve their nutrient and sediment management.
"Our investment is allowing farmers and other landholders to improve the quality of water flowing into the reef," Minister Price said.
"Reducing the impact of run-off of sediment, nutrients and pesticides will improve the resilience of the Reef as we continue working to protect it from other threats like rising ocean temperatures and crown-of-thorns starfish.
"Not only is the Great Barrier Reef one of our national treasures, it contributes $6.4 billion and 64,000 jobs to the national economy.
