Restoring Great Barrier Reef wetlands to protect biodiversity

We are excited to announce a new collaboration with the Australian Government’s Reef Trust to restore coastal wetlands and raise funds to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Direct from the 2015 UN Climate Conference in Paris, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment announced a $2 million contribution from the Reef Trust to our Great Barrier Reef coastal wetlands restoration project

The Reef Trust will match dollar for dollar private funds raised toward the project enabling a $4 million investment in the health of the reef.

Coastal wetlands act as a filtration system for the Reef – filtering out pollutants from rivers before they flow into the Reef.   Many wetlands have been lost or modified since European settlement, reducing their effectiveness to protect the Reef.

The two hundred hectare pilot project will restore and reconnect wetland habitat in the Great Barrier Reef region, in turn protecting threatened species and maintaining biodiversity. The project will provide a blueprint for wetland restoration along the Great Barrier Reef coastline.

Greening Australia CEO, Brendan Foran said “The project will build on previous experience and will be supported by the latest science to  protect these critical ecosystems.

The Reef 2050 Plan outlines ambitious targets for biodiversity, ecosystem health and water quality. This project will contribute to the protection of coastal wetlands and ecosystems, and ultimately the Outstanding Universal Values of the Great Barrier Reef.

Greening Australia welcomes the commitment of the Australian Government to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef through restoration of priority wetlands and through challenging private supporters to come on board with matching funding

Greening Australia will work with three other leading Australian conservation organisations, Birdlife Australia, Conservation Volunteers Australia and WetlandCare Australia to deliver the program on the ground.

There will be a strong focus on local community engagement and education through this project. Find out more about our work and how to get involved in the Great Barrier Reef, become a member or make a donation.