Summary

• Mangroves and saltmarshes are ecologically important habitats that link the marine and terrestrial environments and provide habitat for both marine and terrestrial organisms, including several threatened species.
• Along the Great Barrier Reef coast mangrove and saltmarsh habitats cover an area of approximately 3800 km².
• There are 39 mangrove species and hybrids in and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, which represents almost all the species found in Australia and more than half the number of species in the world. Twenty-six species of saltmarsh plants also occur along the Great Barrier Reef coast.
• Mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystems are vital to the biological productivity and food webs of coastal waters and provide critical nursery areas for many fish and crustaceans, including commercially and recreationally important species.
• They provide an important buffer between land and reef, as they filter land runoff and improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. They also serve to buffer the coastline from storms and cyclones.
• These intertidal ecosystems are subject to the effects of human activities, such as coastal development and declining water quality. A significant proportion of the Queensland coast has been developed since European settlement. However, due to the lack of historical data, the actual area of mangrove and saltmarsh habitat lost is unknown. The overall condition of remaining mangrove and saltmarsh areas along the Great Barrier Reef coast is relatively stable.
• The Queensland Government and local governments are responsible for the management of coastal areas of the Great Barrier Reef region, including wetland habitats such as mangroves and saltmarshes. The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, released in October 2003, is aimed at halting and reversing the decline of water quality in the Great Barrier Reef within 10 years.
• Mangrove and saltmarsh plants are protected under the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994, which includes the use of permits and Fish Habitat Areas to regulate activities that may disturb marine plants. There are 41 Fish Habitat Areas along the Great Barrier Reef coast, which afford a high level of protection to marine and estuarine ecosystems in these specific locations.
• Continued research and monitoring is required to provide up-to-date information on mangrove and saltmarsh habitat boundaries, and to improve our ability to detect subtle changes in the condition of these communities.

Mangrove and saltmarsh habitats are often found growing close together in the intertidal zone and form important coastal communities that are interconnected with the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. Most of the mangrove and saltmarsh habitats are on the border of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and not actually inside it. However, they form a critical part of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.

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