Kirwan State School will learn how to care for wetlands that are important in protecting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, as part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's Reef Guardian School program.

The Townsville Region Bird Observers Club will show students how to conduct surveys and assess a local wetland, using the presence or absence of birds as indicators of the condition of the wetlands.  

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Reef Guardian Schools Project Officer Carolyn Luder said this was an important way to raise awareness of how wetlands help filter water from the land to the Reef.

"Wetlands are vital to the Great Barrier Reef and it is important that students will understand about how to protect wetlands and wetland birds," she said.

Townsville Region Bird Observers Club Conservation Officer George Baker is pleased the organisation is working to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands and wetland birds.

"We felt this engagement with local school children would go a long way towards encouraging changes to human behaviour activities that are currently having an adverse impact on the wetlands," he said.

The wetland protection program follows past successful coast care and habitat care programs presented by the Townsville Region Bird Observers Club to Reef Guardian Schools.

The Reef Guardian Schools Program is a voluntary stewardship program that develops partnerships between schools and their communities to work towards a sustainable future for the Great Barrier Reef.

In its ninth year, this education program currently sees more than 60 000 students committed to the protection and conservation of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Photo opportunity:

Students at Kirwan State School are undertaking training on 20 June 2011 from 11.30am-12.30pm and 12.30pm-1.30pm at the school. For further information please contact the GBRMPA media team.