It has been widely recognised that there is a lack of monitoring data on water quality associated with management practices across the priority Great Barrier Reef.

In 2009 cross collaboration by Natural Resource Management organisations, State and Australian governments, and researchers resulted in funding for the Paddock to Reef integrated monitoring and modelling program.

The Paddock to Reef program is collecting water quality data at the paddock scale and at sub-catchment and end of catchment. The program also incorporates marine monitoring data which is being undertaken by GBRMPA.

Terrain anticipates that the data collected will help evaluate the management practice change in cane and bananas across the Wet Tropics region. In a recent Impact Report on Reef Rescue 1, Terrain confirmed that farmers in Far North Queensland prevented the use of 18 tonnes of pesticides, and the loss of 72,000 tonnes of soil via practice change initiatives.
The Paddock to Reef program runs for three years and will report the change in water quality from land practices. Together with GBRMPA's monitoring of reef health, we should be able to demonstrate the positive change emerging from farmer efforts in the region.