Contributed by Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited
AT THE start of September, project officer Cass Hayward was part of a Coral Nurture Program planting blitz, in the Whitsundays.
The Coral Nurture Program (CNP) is led by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the sites in the Whitsundays are championed by local tourism operators Red Cat Adventures, Ocean Rafting and Kiana Dive and Sail.
CNP is all about empowering tourism operators, enabling them to take the lead in building resilience at important tourism sites, by increasing coral cover.
We have seen more than 7,500 corals planted at Black, Hayman and Hook Islands, in the Whitsundays, since the program first kicked off in our region, just over two years ago.
During this recent trip, 1,221 corals were planted across the three islands! But the team had another mission too.
At each CNP site, a new nursery was installed deeper than the others; more than 5m below Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT).
Their purpose is to be put into action – during times of thermal stress such as mass bleaching events – to protect high value nursery corals by moving them to the deeper ‘refuge’ nurseries.
We have seen five mass bleaching events in the past eight years, so it is important we are prepared for these events.
A huge shoutout to the team for their continuous dedication to these sites, this program and, of course, our precious Great Barrier Reef.
It is so uplifting to work alongside the researchers and tourism operators who are so dedicated to a better future.
This project is part of the WRII, which is managed by Reef Catchments and funded through the Reef Islands Initiative, a Great Barrier Reef Foundation program.
It is supported by funding from Lendlease, the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, the Queensland Government and the Fitzgerald Family Foundation.
Photo Credit: Paige Strudwick (UTS).
