Monday 24 October 2005

The Reef Guardian School programme, an education initiative by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has taken out the community development award in the 2005 Regional Heads Forum Excellence Awards.

The aim of the Excellence Awards is to highlight and recognise the contribution made by Australian Government agencies and staff who deliver high quality, customer-focussed services across Queensland.

The Community Development Award recognises outstanding performance and achievement in the implementation of community development initiatives and this is the first time the Reef Guardian School programme has won the award.

National Education Programme Manager at GBRMPA, Angela Colliver, said the programme enables schools to be recognised as national leaders in sustainable living and the environmental management of the Great Barrier Reef by focussing on current issues affecting the Reef and other marine environments.

“We currently have almost 200 schools involved in the programme in Queensland and they are achieving so much. We have schools involved in reducing the use of plastic bags in the community and using the alternative of calico bags. Students are worm farming, composting, drain stencilling and auditing their water and energy usage,” Ms Colliver said.

“Most importantly, students are educating their community on better environmental practices and are changing peoples actions for a more sustainable future. Students are developing their own brochures, television advertisements, radio programmes, boat ramp signs and are actually getting into the community to educate others.”

The Reef Guardian School programme is in its third year after it began with a pilot programme of 25 schools in 2003.

View schools in your region that are involved in the Reef Guardian School programme [ Acrobat Format 41.42KB ]