The Reef Guardian Councils is an innovative programme which aims to protect and conserve the Great Barrier Reef for future generations by encouraging best environmental practice at the local government level. As improvement in land based management practices will lead to increased water quality for the Great Barrier Reef.

This will be achieved through:

• Identifying best environmental practice in daily operations and other core business of the City
  
  
• Identifying best environmental practice principles in land use and infrastructure planning
  
  
• Providing locally relevant environmental communication and education programmes for staff and the community
  
  
• Identifying and developing key partnerships and collaborations that can help meet these objectives.

Townsville City is committed to the protection, conservation and enhancement of the Great Barrier Reef Wold Heritage Area for future generations. The City recognises the important link between land-based management practices and the health of our wonderful reef.

The Reef Guardian Council provides the recognition of the roles local government play in the reef protection and it centres on recognising what the City is already doing through activities, programmes and initiatives relating to waste, water, land management, and community involvement.

The City is committed to create an annual action plan on four focus areas as described below:

1. Water management: mitigation and monitoring of pollution sources
   The City is committed to implementing programs to manage and mitigate the impacts of land-based activities on the coral reef. For example reducing catchment based pollution sources (including suspended solids, nutrients, and soils).
   
   Existing Council programs to support this objective include:
   • Creek to Coral: our waterways our responsibility
     
   • Total Water Cycle Management, including the development of a regional Water Quality Improvement Plan
     
   • Soil and Erosion Control Plan
     
     
     
2. Waste management: planning for the environment
   The City is committed to implementing programs that will help reduce waste and land-based pollution sources from entering the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Areas.
   
   Existing Council program to support this objective include:
   • Don't Waste Townsville program
     
   • WALOR (What a Load of Rubbish) Recycling Game
     
   • Installation of Gross Pollution Traps in various city-wide locations
     
   • State of the art Water Treatment Plants in Horseshoe Bay and Cleveland Bay
     
     
     
3. Land management: management plans for impacts
   The City is committed to implementing programs to promote responsible land management and promote awareness of harms to the reef from inappropriate land management activities.
   
   Existing programs to support this objective include:
   • Pest Plants and Pest Animal Management Program
     
   • Greening Townsville Program and Local Native Plants Giveaway
     
   • Community awareness program for weeds recognition and eradication through Weedbuster Week, Weedswap (swapping weeds for local native plants)
     
     
     
4. Community engagement: influencing and involving the community
   The City is committed to engage the wider community in various environmental activities to raise awareness of environmental issues and to achieve on-ground activities that would contribute to protecting the Great Barrier Reef.
   • Community Greening Program
     
   • School Shade Tree and Greentree Ants Program
     
   • Eco-Catchment Education Tours
     
   • Creek to Coral Program
     
   • Supporting Creekwatch Program

Recognising this, the action should seek to achieve:
Increased community willingness to change by targeting key social inhibitors (income, infrastructure, information, on-the-ground actions and education).

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