2005 Reef Beat posters 1-8 in Cairns Post.pdf - Great Barrier Reef ...

8reef beatriver to reefconnected!all It’sThe Great Barrier Reef.A crucial habitat.Keeping the Reef clean will ensure the future of its occupants.IF you’re a person on a cattle property ona hot dry day in inland Queensland, thelast thing to enter your mind could verywell be the beauty and health of the GreatBarrier Reef.However, you may not realise that someof the things we do on the land, even in theoutback, can impact on the Reef and itsseagrass, coral and mangrove habitats.All of our land and marine environmentsand habitats are linked, so what we do in oneplace can damage or help another place.That’s why communities, industries,governments and scientists are workingtogether on ways to reduce the effects of ouractivities on the Great Barrier Reef.IN THE PASTEuropean settlers came to Australia, theycleared large areas of the land to make roomfor towns to be built, for cattle to graze andfor crops to grow.When vegetation is removed and heavyrain falls, a lot of the good topsoil and itsnatural nutrients are washed away intorivers, creeks and out to sea. Withoutvegetation in these areas, there is nothing tohold the soil together, so more nutrients andsediments are discharged to our waterwaysand the Great Barrier Reef.With the establishment of many townsand cities along the coast, more nutrientsand other pollutants and rubbish includingplastic bags have found their way intothe environment.In some areas, chemicals and nutrientsthat are used in homes and to help growcrops also wash into the rivers and out intothe Great Barrier Reef.Many farmers and city dwellers are nowthinking of new ways to reduce their impactson the Great Barrier Reef.PROTECTING IMPORTANT HABITATSIf we want to protect our magnifi cent GreatBarrier Reef, we need to look after all thehabitats within and surrounding it.all It’s connected!The primary habitats to think about arewetlands, mangroves, seagrass areas andsoft bottom inter-reefal areas.Mangroves are important to the life of theGreat Barrier Reef because they can act asnurseries for baby fi sh and prawns that latergrow up and move out to the reefs.They are also home to a large range of birdlife and they act as a buffer between the landand the sea.Seagrasses are also nursery areas andare where the endangered dugongs fi ndtheir food. Some sea turtles also depend onseagrass for their meals.These areas are where we fi nd animalslike seahorses and pipefi sh.Other habitats most people don’t thinkabout are the soft bottom inter-reefal areas.They’re called soft bottomed because theyhave mud or sand on the seafl oor. Theseareas are where fi shers catch prawns.Inter-reefal areas are also home toan incredibly diverse group of animalsand plants.DOING YOUR BIT TO LOOK AFTER IT!If we act carelessly and pollute our landand streams we can damage our GreatBarrier Reef, seagrasses and mangrovesbeyond repair.We have to be very careful about how wedispose of rubbish and other toxic materialsand how we use our land.One of the things we can do is to alwaysbe mindful about what we put into our drainsand sewers.Even washing your car in the street ordriveway can result in detergents enteringour waterways and every time you poursomething down the sink, it may end upreaching the Great Barrier Reef.The seabed is alive with plants and creatures.30 The Cairns Post, Tuesday, April 12, 2005