The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders of the natural world. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981 and added to the National Heritage List in 2007. Unfortunately, the Great Barrier Reef faces many threats. Pollution caused by direct or indirect human activities represents a major threat to Australian coral reefs. (source 1). Every year two million tourists visit the coral reef. This is great for the economy; however it can have huge negative impacts on coral reefs. Tourists are transported to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) by more than 500 commercial vessels that dump fuel, anchors and other forms of pollution that damage the reef. Tourists also break fragile corals by touching them and walking on the reef, as well as contaminating the water with sweat and tanning lotions. (Source 5) Most of the damage to the coral reef has occurred in the last fifty years. This coincided almost exactly with increased deforestation (source 11) and disappearance of wetlands (source 1) for coastal development, followed by population growth (source 7) and agriculture (source 11). These environmental disturbances damage natural habitats and loosen sediments causing them to wash into the ocean. Pollutants and pesticides from agriculture, together with the sharp increase in the use of synthetic nitrogen in fertilizers (source 8), over the last fifty years, have accelerated the pollution of inland areas. Pollutants bind to sediment, creating a sticky mud that covers coral algae called zooxanthellae that kill coral. Pollutants and sediment also create a hazy cloud in the water that blocks sunlight and prevents photosynthesis. (source 12) Besides this there is also an increase in marine pollution such as shipwrecks (source 3) h...... middle of paper ...... as there will be less demand for everything. Some may have to close down and suffer large losses. The social and economic costs are too great to quantify. Cities along the Great Barrier Reef won't be as lively. Children growing up in these cities will have fewer job prospects and may not even be allowed to start a new family in their hometown due to the demographic limit. The residents will be furious! Beyond this, the proposal does not address the main future threats to the Great Barrier Reef: climate change, pollution from agriculture and tourism. Therefore proposal two is a far superior management plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It has a more balanced approach, taking into consideration all aspects of environmental, social and economic factors. Proposal two is certainly more economically feasible in both the short and long term.