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Great Barrier Reef management and protection

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Great Barrier Reef management and protection
ESSAY 3: JUSTIFY THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

The Great Barrier Reef is an extensive and intricate ecosystem which is located off the east coast of Northern Queensland. The GBR stretches roughly 2300 kilometres from as far north as Fly River in PNG to as far south as Frazer Island. The whole reef system covers 354, 000 square kilometres in total which makes it the largest and most famous coral reef system in the world.
Holding one of the world’s broadest ranges of genetic biodiversity, the maintenance of the GBR is vital. Reasons for the conservation of the reef include economic value, importance as a reservoir for biological diversity, it is the largest reef system in the world, it is used for education and research into revolutionary processes, it plays an important role in the carbon cycle, chemicals can be removed for use in medicine and the GBR also prevents coastal erosion.
Over time, reef management strategies have been introduced to help with the preservation and conservation of the reef, these strategies include traditional and contemporary management. Traditional management was when the Aboriginal people had complete control over the land, the indigenous people’s management included great admiration for the land, treating it with respect and using only justifiable amounts of food and materials. This was a sustainable and successful management strategy used to conserve and preserve the GBR. Contemporary management included reef exploitation, un-sustainable usage of materials, disregard for pollution and un-policed fishing which led the GBR to be at risk (GENETIC DIVERSITY, UTILITY VALUE, INTRINSIC VALUE AND HERITAGE VALUE AS ALL REASONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GBR)
Traditional management of the GBR boats superiority and success (BACK UP). Traditional management strategies portrayed knowledge about the ecosystem harboured by the Indigenous people; they understood the significant of the ecosystem, the need for

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