Wetlands: Values and opportunities

A journal article on wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef catchments has shown that the value of these aquatic systems extends far beyond just their role in water quality. The article, published recently in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, examines information on threats and management of Great Barrier Reef wetlands, including data from Tropical Water Quality Hub’s Project 3.3.2, led by Dr Nathan Waltham at James Cook University’s TropWATER facility. It finds that the more than one million hectares of wetlands in the Great Barrier Reef catchments are well protected but face major management challenges owing to intensive land use in the region. Wetlands are vital for improving the quality of water flowing out to the Great Barrier Reef but also offer many other intrinsic values. The article shows that there are many financial opportunities for wetland restoration including water pollution offsets, ecosystem services payment and nitrogen markets. See other journal articles published under Round 3 of the Tropical Water Quality Hub here.