Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Map of the reporting zones. Image sourced: wettropicswaterways.org.au
Ongoing efforts by landholders, community groups and industry are continuing to make a positive difference to waterway health across the Wet Tropics, with the latest report card showing conditions remain steady despite increasing climate pressures.
The Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card found waterways across the region continue to achieve "good" to "moderate" health, reflecting years of work to improve land management, restore riparian vegetation and reduce sediment and nutrient runoff.
Wet Tropics Waterways Chair Dr Simon Costanzo said the results highlighted the value of collective action across the region.
"Across the region, people are taking action — improving farming practices, restoring riparian vegetation and participating in clean-up and rehabilitation projects — and together it's making a difference."
Queensland Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the findings reinforced the importance of ongoing partnerships between communities, industry and government.
"Nobody loves the Reef more than Queenslanders, and these results are encouraging because they show the positive impact of practical, on-ground action to improve and protect water quality," Minister Powell said.
"The findings reinforce why the Crisafulli Government is investing a record $330.5 million to improve Great Barrier Reef water quality and support action across Reef catchments, because healthy waterways are essential to a healthy Reef and to protecting these natural assets for future generations."
The report card is released annually by Wet Tropics Waterways and draws on independent scientific monitoring from multiple organisations to assess the long-term health of rivers, estuaries and coastal waters.
The latest findings demonstrate that while climate pressures continue to pose challenges, ongoing community action is helping protect the waterways that are vital to both local communities and the Great Barrier Reef.
More detailed information about the Wet Tropics Waterway Health Report Card and results can be found at wettropicswaterways.org.au/wet-tropics-report-card
(Contributed with thanks by Terrain NRM)
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