$180,000 to boost regional action to protect the Reef

Community Reef Protection ‘Local Action’ Program grants will deliver up to $180,000 total funding for regional community projects that contribute to improving Reef health.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said these grants through the Reef Trust Partnership will empower community Reef protection through local projects identified by the Local Marine Advisory Committees (LMACs), which advise the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and encourage Reef stewardship within their local communities.

“The twin perils of climate change and local stresses mean the window of opportunity for saving the Reef is closing,” Ms Marsden said.

“Science tells us that, hand in hand with meeting global targets on climate change, we also need local actions that build the resilience of the Reef – helping it to bounce back and recover. LMACs have been working for over 20 years to address local threats and this initiative will tap into their local knowledge and expertise.

“The scope of the grant includes activities such as restoring coastal ecosystems, reducing marine debris at its source, actions to control sediment loss or water pollution, changing behaviour to support local climate change action, and promoting and facilitating the adoption of responsible Reef practices.

“The ‘Local Action’ grants will also strengthen community Reef protection actions already underway to achieve the Reef 2050 Plan targets,” Ms Marsden said.

The Community Reef Protection ‘Local Action’ Program is funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and is supported by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Each grant will be valued between $5,000 – $15,000 and applications close on 18 March 2019 at 12 noon AEST. Eligible applications of local projects identified by the Local Marine Advisory Committees will be assessed by an Assessment Panel against the assessment criteria outlined in the Grant Guidelines.

Under the Reef Trust Partnership, $10 million will be invested in community Reef protection activities. The Foundation announced the first round of grants for community citizen science activities in December 2018. The second round of grants for Community Reef Protection Activities are the ‘Local Action’ grants through the 12 Local Marine Advisory Committees. Further funding rounds for other community Reef protection activities will be announced in 2019.

Local residents can find out further information about the grant process and potential projects in their area by emailing LMAC@gbrmpa.gov.au

The 12 Local Marine Advisory Committees are: Cape York, Douglas, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Hinchinbrook, Townsville, Bowen-Burdekin, Whitsunday, Mackay, Capricorn Coast, Gladstone, Burnett.

Media contacts:
GBRF: Sarah Henderson +61 429 890 087 | +61 3171 0403 | shenderson@barrierreef.org
LMAC media contact: GBRMPA media 07 4750 0846 | media@gbrmpa.gov.au