YEAR IN REVIEW 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW The Great Barrier Reef Foundation acknowledges both the Turrbul people and the Yugara (Jagera) people and their Elders, past, present and emerging, as the custodians for the land and waters upon OUR which the Brisbane office stands. We extend our deepest respect and recognition to all of the MISSION Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef as We bring together the best minds and First Nations Peoples holding the hopes, dreams, technologies to help solve the challenges traditions and cultures of the Reef. 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. CONTENTS Our story 4 International Year of the Reef 6 Two decades of impact 8 Revenue and project investments 9 Resilient Reefs 10 Reef Islands Initiative 12 Reef royalty roundtable 13 Raine Island Recovery Project 14 Innovation Challenge 16 Reef Trust Partnership 18 eReefs 20 Meet our Chief Scientist 21 Other highlights 22 Our supporters 24 Board and committees 27 Photography: Gary Cranitch, Queensland Museum 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 4 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 5 OUR STORY So that’s where we Because every action _ _ This is our manifesto – a call to action for RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW — everyone at the we each make Over six hundred On land, sea, and sky, everyone to do all they can for one of the Great Barrier Reef species of coral rely on it supports a vast array _ seven wonders of the natural world. Foundation — RIGHT NOW our Great Barrier Reef of flora and fauna, from the smallest donation — one of the planet’s it provides over are RIGHT NOW_ to the loudest stand, richest ocean habitats. 64,000 jobs in Australia on the beach, is exactly and delights millions in the water, what the Reef needs from across the globe in the boardroom, to survive RIGHT NOW_ who visit this and in the lab. for generations to come. natural wonder. Bringing together Our Reef sustains the world’s best minds 3000 species of mollusc, and technologies — more than 1600 species scientists, researchers, of fish, and six of the seven But, _ RIGHT NOW engineers, traditional species of marine turtles. Right here on our shores, owners, investors, climate change and innovators, And that’s just underwater. increasing environmental creative-thinkers. threats are putting the future of this irreplaceable And you. ecosystem at risk, making it the challenge of our age. 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 6 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 7 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE REEF I just cannot bear the idea that future generations may not experience a coral reef. The mission is to start solving the problem, not just to study it. Vale, Dr Ruth Gates 1962–2018 In 2018 – the International partners the BHP Foundation, In 2018, we launched a global Australia’s largest environmental UNESCO World Heritage Centre, search for new ideas and approaches Reef Trust Partnership Thanks Year of the Reef – the fundraising campaign. spotlight was truly on the 100 Resilient Cities—Pioneered by to reef recovery in partnership This year, the Australian So many people contributed to Great Barrier Reef, for all The Rockefeller Foundation, and with The Tiffany & Co. Foundation. Government announced the In late 2018, we announced the our endeavours in 2018. Sitting The Nature Conservancy’s Reef its awe-inspiring wonder The Out of the Blue Box Reef largest single grant for the Great first funding program under the on the Foundation’s Board and Resilience Network, this marks a Innovation Challenge produced Reef Trust Partnership, with up as much as for the imminent Barrier Reef’s protection in the committees are a distinguished world first – bringing together local some exciting new concepts and country’s history. An investment to $20 million available for projects group of Australians, each so challenges threatening its communities, reef managers and we look forward to reporting the of $443.3 million to be managed to improve water quality on the deeply passionate about this future. resilience experts to develop new progress of the winning projects through the Foundation was a Reef. In early 2019, 11 projects cause that they generously give solutions for combating the effects – scaling up coral IVF (larval funding step change for Reef health. with a proven track record of their time, skills and networks, The realisation that we are rapidly of climate change. reseeding techniques) and using The Reef Trust Partnership delivers water quality improvement across and we are grateful for their running out of time to save this robotic technology to deliver new sustained and strategic funding regional Queensland were awarded steady support and advice. We natural wonder, and indeed the The second is the Reef Islands life to the reef (dubbed LarvalBot), for longer term Reef protection grants totalling over $19 million are fortunate to have a world class world’s coral reefs, was highlighted Initiative which is building on and probiotics for coral. efforts across the critical issues and commenced work. team of staff for whom working by the Intergovernmental Panel the success of the Raine Island of improving water quality and at the Foundation is a labour of on Climate Change (IPCC) Report Recovery Project – the public / crown-of-thorns starfish control, love and who go above and beyond declaring the loss of the world’s private partnership working to Other initiatives Looking ahead harnessing the best science because they passionately believe coral reefs by 2050 if we do not protect and restore the world’s Innovation is also at the heart Early 2019 also saw 43 community to restore reefs and support in this cause. Our research partners meet the Paris Agreement targets. largest green turtle rookery and of the Reef Restoration and and Traditional Owner Reef reef resilience and adaptation, are global leaders and we are Through our projects, our people ecosystem on Raine Island. The Adaptation Program announced protection projects awarded $3.2 enhancing Reef health monitoring honoured to be enabling the work and our partners, we stepped project is applying that approach in January, a partnership to million in funding to contribute and reporting, and increasing of the brightest minds at James up to ensure that 2018 was a to other priority islands on the explore novel technologies to to improving Reef health. We look community and Traditional Owner Cook University, Queensland year that mattered for the Reef. Great Barrier Reef to build assist recovery, repair and build forward to seeing these projects engagement in Reef protection. University of Technology, University the resilience of these precious resilience of the Reef through progress in 2019 and beyond. It creates a new era of collaboration of Hawaii, Australian Institute Signature projects launched land and sea scapes in the face Australia’s leading reef research and partnerships – empowering of Marine Science, Bureau of This year we launched two new of climate change – essentially and management organisations. Detailed 2019-2020 Reef Trust us all to work together to boost Meteorology, CSIRO, Queensland’s signature projects and an innovation creating a series of modern day Partnership work plans will be the resilience and health of the Department of Environment and challenge, separate to the new ‘arks’. During the year, on-ground In April the Foundation, in published in July 2019, setting Great Barrier Reef. Science, and Taronga Zoo this year. Reef Trust Partnership with the restoration and conservation work partnership with the Prince’s Trust the strategy for investment and Australian Government’s Reef Trust. commenced on the first island Australia, hosted a Leadership implementation for the year ahead. Through the partnership, we are Our achievements in 2018 are refuge, Lady Elliot Island, known Roundtable with His Royal The first,Resilient Reefs, is global leading the collaboration of science, Separate to the Reef Trust a tribute to our many supporters for its amazing array of seabirds, Highness the Prince of Wales on coral reefs leadership initiative business, government, industry, Partnership program, we will and donors who are taking an turtles, manta rays, dolphins, Lady Elliot Island. Twenty-two spanning five World-Heritage philanthropy and community continue to work with our broad active part in conserving the world’s sharks and coral reefs. We look leaders across policy, conservation, listed coral reef sites – Australia’s to amplify the impact of this network of partners on implementing greatest coral reef. Your support forward to supporting more industry and science shared insights Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo investment.Ten strategic plans projects such as the Raine Island humbles and inspires us all. island ecosystems in the future of obstacles and opportunities Coast, Palau’s Rock Islands, were delivered in 2018, including Recovery Project, Reef Islands, with our project funding partners for coral reefs and unanimously Lagoons of New Caledonia and our strategy to leverage the Resilient Reefs and others, and look Thank you. Lendlease, the Australian and agreedeveryone must do more the Belize Barrier Reef – to build government grant by raising a forward to sharing their progress. Queensland Governments, and and do better for the sake of future their resilience in the face of further $300M – $400M through climate change. Working with our the Fitzgerald Family Foundation. generations. 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 8 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 9 TWO DECADES OF IMPACT 42% Since 1999, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation has WHERE OUR Corporate Partners had a proven track record of working with partners to develop projects vital to securing the viability 41% FUNDS CAME Australian Government of coral reefs on our planet. Our work has helped understanding of the Reef’s condition and its threats, FROM – 7% bolstered its resilience, and developed the tools and 2018 REVENUE Queensland Government knowledge needed to protect it into the future.