YEAR IN REVIEW Saving our Reef and its marine life for future generations The Great Barrier Reef Foundation extends its deepest ‘Reef Wonderland’ artwork by Melanie Hava, Mamu Aboriginal respect and recognition to all Traditional Owners of the woman, Dugulbarra and Great Barrier Reef and its Catchments, as First Nations Waribarra family groups, from Peoples holding the hopes, dreams, traditions and the Johnstone River catchment of the Wet Tropics of Far North cultures of the Reef. Queensland and the adjoining More than 70 Traditional Owner groups have deep and Great Barrier Reef sea country. enduring connections spanning the length of the Reef along the Queensland coastline and beyond, from the Torres Strait Islands in the north to Bundaberg in the south. Cover image credit: Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum. CONTENTS Our Mission 2 From the Managing Director and Chair 4 Our Impact 6 Australia’s Largest Ever Reef Partnership 8 Saving Endangered Species 10 Innovation In All We Do 16 Restoring Critical Reef Habitats 22 Thriving Reefs, Thriving Communities 26 Building Global Reef Resilience 30 Our Supporters 32 Board and Committees 37 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW 1 OUR MISSION We bring together the best minds and technologies to help solve the challenges facing the Great Barrier Reef. And we challenge everyone — from the boardroom to the beach — to stand up, unite, and take an active part in its conservation. The Great Barrier Reef is an This unique icon is the largest We should be proud that it’s our irreplaceable ecosystem, home to living thing on Earth, with rich responsibility to look after it. thousands of species of marine corals spanning an area visible from But our Reef and its marine life life, including fish, dolphins, and space. It’s one of the seven natural are facing a growing combination six of the world’s seven species of wonders of the world and attracts of threats. We’re already seeing marine turtle. two million visitors every year. the effects in many parts of our Reef, and without help the outlook is bleak. Saving the Reef is a huge task, but there’s hope. Right now we’re making an impact, but there’s a lot more to do. That’s why we need your help. 2 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW 3 Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. All of us are guardians of This past year will be remembered In a year of so much change and the Great Barrier Reef, as one of the most extraordinary disruption, the threats to our Great in the history of our planet. Barrier Reef remained. And most the largest living thing on Australians and people the world importantly, so did the Foundation’s Earth – a unique icon and over were confronted with major determination to deliver on our irreplaceable ecosystem. challenges and forced to face a new ambitious portfolio of projects, Protecting the Reef and normal. Climate change contributed initiatives and partnerships to deliver the thousands of species of to unprecedented bush fires and a brighter outlook for the Reef and another summer of mass bleaching coral reefs around the world. marine life who call it home on the Great Barrier Reef, the Through all the year’s uncertainty is not just a challenge, it third in five years and the most and change, the Great Barrier is a privilege. This task widespread yet. A once-in-a-century Reef’s lead charity remained global pandemic took a devastating requires the best of us, steadfastly focused on its future, toll, changing our way of life and from all of us. The Great with people and science at the core threatening the global economy. Barrier Reef Foundation is of solutions, dedicated to saving the proud to play its role in the These challenges show just how Reef and its marine life. pursuit of a dream held by vulnerable and interconnected we are, how much we depend on each many – to save our Reef for other, and how connected we are future generations. with the life-giving ecosystems we can’t exist without. Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. 4 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW This year, the Foundation continued to deepen and expand the reach of its impact, coming together the world’s best minds and technologies to launch the world’s largest coral reefs program and progress more than 60 Reef-saving projects. We are proud to work with so many individuals and institutions from science, conservation, First Nations, community and government to deliver a true Team Australia response to save our Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. irreplaceable ecosystem. More than 60 project delivery partners including Australia’s leading science institutions – the Australian The year ahead will be one of the Institute of Marine Science, CSIRO, Foundation’s boldest yet – reaching As we look back on the universities, and the Great Barrier full pace and scale in our landmark year that’s been, we stand Reef Marine Park Authority partnership with the Australian ready to deliver what’s included – helped us deliver critical Government’s Reef Trust, and next. Despite this history- Reef projects throughout the year. launching our Reef Recovery 2030 making year of uncertainty Campaign to turn the tide on coral and disruption, we Our research and project partners reef decline over the next decade. are unwavering in are the best and brightest in our mission, and we Australia and internationally. are determined. The Our Board and committee Foundation is, and always members are esteemed leaders will be, the action station of business, science, community, for the Reef, bringing Traditional Owners and industry, Anna Marsden together people and who have graciously given their Managing Director science to save the largest time and expertise to guide and living thing on Earth. help us deliver our Reef-saving programs. And our dedicated team of staff has again risen to the challenge with unparalleled Dr John Schubert AO passion and commitment. Chair Image credit: Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum, taken on Raine Island. 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW 5 OUR IMPACT Right now, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is saving our Reef and its marine life for future generations through more than 60-Reef saving projects. AUSTRALIA’S BUILDING GLOBAL RESTORING CRITICAL LARGEST EVER REEF REEF RESILIENCE REEF HABITATS PARTNERSHIP We’re leading the world’s first We’re restoring critical Reef global program that brings local habitats to protect ecosystems and We’re delivering a $443 million communities, Reef managers and save the vulnerable species that portfolio across six Reef protection global experts together to support depend on them. priority areas, bringing together five World Heritage sites – and the science, innovation, community and communities that depend on them Traditional Owner Reef protection. – to respond and adapt to climate change and local threats. THRIVING REEFS, THRIVING SAVING THE REEF’S COMMUNITIES BIODIVERSITY INNOVATION IN We’re partnering with Reef We’re saving the Reef’s vulnerable ALL WE DO Traditional Owners to co- species – such as the endangered design actions that deliver on We’re working with Australia’s – green turtle, by restoring the world’s generations of Traditional Owner- and the world’s – brightest minds largest nesting area on Raine Island. led Reef management. And we’re and pioneering cutting-edge science partnering with communities and technologies to find new and along the Reef to be actively improved ways to save our Reef. involved in the Reef’s protection. Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. 6 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW 2019-20 YEAR IN REVIEW 7 AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST EVER REEF PARTNERSHIP The partnership between Traditional Owner Reef Water Quality the Foundation and the Protection • 210 landholders and 289,165ha Australian Government’s • More than 80 Traditional Owners of land have demonstrated Reef Trust is a platform have been engaged from 35 Reef improved water quality practices for science, innovation Traditional Owner groups to date (based on the Paddock to Reef framework) and communities to come • 13 Traditional Owner groups together with the right have led priority projects • 134t of dissolved inorganic conditions and resources identified by Traditional Owners: nitrogen (DIN), 6.3kt of to set a new pathway sediment, and 4.2kg of – Six Land and Sea Country pesticides have been prevented for Reef protection and based planning projects from entering the Reef so far. recovery in Australia. – Five projects implementing existing Country-based plans • We’ve initiated eight out of 10 major regional water quality In response to the unprecedented – Seven junior ranger projects coral loss of the previous summers, improvement programs, a landmark Commonwealth with more than $50 million grant of $443.3 million – the Community Reef Protection contracted (or in the process largest single grant to the Reef • Six Community Action of being contracted) this year. in Australia’s history – saw the Plans are underway from This represents more than one Foundation entrusted to deliver Bundaberg to Cooktown, led third of the funding allocated for an integrated portfolio of six Reef by eight local partners this cornerstone program in the protection components, designed Water Quality component. to significantly and measurably • 15 citizen science projects have • We’ve selected more than 20 improve the health of the Great held 300 field days generating potentially game-changing Barrier Reef. over 75,000 data points reporting on Reef habitat and wildlife water quality innovation and In the second year of the six-year system change projects to begin program, we are making strong • Nine local action projects in 2020-21, spanning $10 million progress: — championed through the of innovations in technology, Great Barrier Reef Marine finance, data and planning.