The Reef Trust Partnership (RTP) is one of the largest collective reef protection efforts of its kind.
It is the largest effort globally to help an ecosystem withstand the impacts of climate change and local stresses.
The RTP has delivered extraordinary outcomes for the Great Barrier Reef. It has significantly enhanced Australia's Reef protection efforts.
The RTP was announced in 2018. It is a partnership between the Australian Government's Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
The RTP has:
- helped manage key threats for the Reef, including poor water quality and crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS)
- protected marine life and Reef habitats
- empowered partners to collaborate and take action
- delivered world-leading science to support a more resilient Reef
It has delivered:
- 517 projects involving 679 delivery partners, including 6,038 Traditional Owners
- 94 community-centred projects with more than 94,000 participants
Improved the quality of water flowing to the Reef
The RTP has improved reef water quality by:
- improving land management practices
- reducing fertiliser and pesticide use
- supporting the uptake of new technology and agricultural practices
These efforts have:
- stopped 346 kilo tonnes of fine sediment and 469 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from reaching the Reef annually
- restored 55 gullies and 17 streambanks to prevent erosion and reduce sediment run-off
Managing COTS outbreaks and enhancing Australia's approach
The RTP has expanded efforts to control COTS. It has reduced coral mortality from outbreaks to protect high value coral reefs.
These efforts have:
- delivered a six-fold reduction in starfish numbers
- supported a 44 percent increase in coral cover on target reefs
The RTP funds the COTS Control Innovation Program. The program has delivered new tools and research to boost our capacity to predict, detect and respond to COTS outbreaks. It has helped improve the efficiency of the COTS Control Program.
Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP)
The RTP has delivered world-leading breakthroughs to help the Reef adapt to a changing climate.
RRAP is the world's largest collective effort to protect coral reefs from climate change. It is delivering solutions to support reefs to adapt, resist and recover.
This includes:
- using aquaculture to breed healthy corals and those that are more resistant to heat
- cooling and shading to prevent or reduce stress on coral reefs
The Pilot Deployments Program (PDP) is part of RRAP. The PDP is advancing our efforts to deploy interventions on the Reef at scale. This will help to fast-track recovery on the Reef.
The PDP is funded by the Reef Trust and led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Empowering and partnering with Traditional Owners, Communities and others
The RTP involved unprecedented levels of engagement. This includes with scientists, industry, Traditional Owners and the broader community.
The RTP has empowered partners to take action to manage key threats for the Reef. It has supported monitoring and reporting. It has also delivered science and research to help the Reef be more resilient.
This engagement has created a robust foundation for future conservation efforts.
Setting a new standard for public-private partnership in conservation
The RTP set a new standard for public-private partnership in conservation. It leveraged substantial co-investment.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation exceeded its private fundraising target of $357 million with $461 million raised as of December 2024. This is the largest private fundraising effort for coral reefs globally.
These funds have helped amplify government investment in a way that cannot be achieved by government alone.
