NQ Dry Tropics has teamed up
with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA) to expand the Reef Guardian Schools program in the
region.
NQ Dry Tropics has funded an
employee to move to GBRMPA for one year to promote the
well-established Reef Guardian program in the Dry Tropics region.
She will try to attract new schools to the program while delivering
several education programs to existing schools.
Around forty schools have already
signed up to the program in the region, which covers a significant
area of Queensland. This includes Townsville, Magnetic Island, Palm
Island, Charters Towers, Ayr, Home Hill, Clare, Gumlu, and
Bowen.
Caption: Queens
Beach State School Tree Planting
A number of exciting activities
will be delivered this year through the program.
Term 1 saw the distribution of almost 700 native coastal plants,
courtesy of Greening Australia, to Reef Guardian Schools across the
region. Accompanying the plants were class sets of the book
Coastal Plants of the Burdekin Dry Tropics, which
was produced by NQ Dry Tropics, and in-class activities
for the kids to learn about the importance of native plants.
Subsequent inspections have shown about 90 per cent of these plants
are still alive and being carefully looked after by the
children!
Term 2 included visits by a rising star, Duey the Dugong. He
visited 15 primary schools with a very important message to keep
our region clean. Duey's charasmatic antics make
sustainability fun and his growing profile means not only school
children but mums and dads are also reminded that our wildlife
depend on us disposing of our rubbish thoughtfully.
Term 3 will see an exciting program being offered to schools on our
amazing shorebirds. The Townsville Region Bird Observers Club
are partnering with this program to wow our Reef Guardian Schools
with the stories of our travelling feathered friends who live for
part of the year on our beaches. Tiny Turn, the lovable
endangered bird mascot, will rival Duey with his key messages and
dramatics.
Term 3 is also going to see the Future Leaders Eco Challenge
events. Students from different schools will be able to check
out what Reef Guardian actions are happening at their counterpart
Reef Guardian Schools.
Term 4 will offer a program on the Traditional Owner importance of
turtle and dugong. Watch this space....
About Reef Guardian Schools
The Reef Guardian Schools program
is a well established education initiative operating in the Dry
Tropics region (and across the State). Almost 60 schools from
Bowen in the South right up to Palm Island in the north participate
in the program which means they make a commitment to doing their
part to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Being a Reef Guardian
School means the school takes an active role in promoting Reef
conservation and awareness throughout the school and the school
community. From barramundi farming to worm farming, tree
planting to paper recycling, native butterfly enclosures to
curlew habitat creation - these schools do an amazing job helping
protect our Great Barrier Reef and encouraging the rest of the
community to do the same.
If you would like some more information or are interested in
becoming a Reef Guardian School, you can contact Judy Warner at NQ
Dry Tropics on 4724 3544 or the education team at GBRMPA on
4750 0792.
