The Great Barrier Reef

Even since arriving in the state of Queensland about two weeks ago, we've heard a lot about the Great Barrier Reef. And rightly so - it is the biggest tourist attraction for the region, the largest living thing on Earth, and a truly incredible wonder of the world.

When you think of the Great Barrier Reef, what comes to mind? If you're from the U.S., you've most likely heard the most extreme story - that it's dying. Or even dead already. You may have read about it in National Geographic, or heard President Obama say that he needs to take his daughters there before there's nothing left to see.

This type of coverage is important, and necessary. The world should know that the reef is in trouble, and that there are real impacts of climate change. But - like most things - this is only one side of the story.

We've talked to people who have a stake in the future of the reef. We went scuba diving and snorkeling on the outer reef. We've visited the Australian Institute of Marine Research and spoke with scientists who are on the front lines of reef preservation. Things are much more complicated than you might think. And, everyone has something to say about it.

"People will tell you the damage to the reef is coming from sugar cane farmers," said one friend in Mareeba. "Don't believe what they tell you."

"What's happening with the reef now is part of a typical cycle," said another in Ingham. "The coral bleaching you're seeing now is natural, it's happened before. It'll come back."

One frustrated friend told us, "tell Obama that he's wrong. People should and need to come to the reef. He's scaring people away."

Emotions about the reef are high, from what's causing the damage to the way it's portrayed in the media. People are upset about how the reef is portrayed, fearing it will keep tourists away. But, separate from the emotions and bias are the scientific facts. And that is, the ecosystem around the reef is irrefutably changing - and it's because of climate change, human impact, and its after affects. Disastrous cyclones are a part of it. And so are pesky things called the Crown of Thornes Starfish.

Crown of Thornes eat the organisms that live inside of the coral - and which give them their vibrant colors. The coral can't exist without these organisms, and will die if they don't return. These starfish make easy work of it - according to the research by AIMS, Crown of Thornes starfish are responsible for almost half the decline of the Great Barrier Reef.

According to scientists at the Australian Institute for Marine Science, a research center outside of Townsville, the population of Crown of Thornes Starfish has skyrocketed to out of control proportions in recent years. There are many reasons for this. Warmer waters are ideal places for these starfish to thrive. And their own predators - like the Triton shellfish - have been harvested well below natural levels.

So what are the folks at AIMS doing about it? Quite a lot, in fact. They're figuring out what makes the Crown of Thornes tick, and how best to manage them. They're breeding Tritons and growing their own corals. They're advocating for the reef, and it's power to not only provide the building blocks of life for thousands of species, but to provide livelihood and a robust economy for towns along the coast.

So what's happening to the Great Barrier Reef? For starters, it's not dead. It's still here, it's still beautiful, and it's still worth a trip around the world to see. But it also needs our protection, and it needs some of the best minds in the world thinking about how to save it for generations to come. We met some of those people, and they're doing amazing work. So read about them, about the reef, about what you can do to help save it. And then come and check it out for yourself.