Coastal Ecosystems Assessment Framework 2012

Abstract

The Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009 (Outlook Report) identified various threats to the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. The biggest threats identified were from coastal development, water quality and climate change. In response to the findings of the Outlook report, and to enable the assessment and prioritisation of issues for better management of coastal ecosystems, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) developed a framework for assessing the importance of coastal ecosystems. The aim of this framework was to assess the ecological functions, the risks to these functions and the cumulative impacts at work across the catchment that are affecting the long-term health of the Great Barrier Reef in a holistic way. This information could then be used for natural resource management planning.See the main report at http://hdl.handle.net/11017/822